New national security bill risks having ‘chilling effect’ on aid work, MPs warn
A new national security bill passing parliament risks having a “chilling effect” on aid work in war zones and humanitarian crises, MPs have warned.
The National Security (State Threats) Bill is intended to build on the National Security Act 2023 by strengthening the UK’s ability to detect and deter threats from foreign states and their proxies, particularly given the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East.
write on behalf Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, chair and Labor MP Sarah Champion of the cross-party International Development Committee, said “the bill creates legal uncertainty for humanitarian organisations, at the very least, which could have a chilling effect on their activities”.
Ms Champion also called for an amendment to the bill that includes an “explicit humanitarian exemption” to protect charities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
“While I fully support measures to strengthen our national security, I am concerned that this rushed legislation could have unintended consequences that could impact humanitarian workers in the UK,” Ms Champion said.
Shadow Home Secretary Alicia Kearns expressed concerns The bill has been “passed through parliament” and the lack of line-by-line scrutiny means the bill will “collapse” in the courtroom.
UK NGO network Bond said that if the bill passed in its current form, without additional humanitarian safeguards, British charities would face “significant obstacles to helping people in the countries where this new law would apply”.
One of the key concerns identified by Bond is that charities operating in complex environments may be forced to pay fees to public authorities in the countries in which they operate, which could be considered criminal offenses under the bill.
While Bond welcomes the inclusion of “protections and defenses related to humanitarian assistance and activities in support of basic human needs” in the accompanying documents, they argue that this is not currently included in the bill itself, which could impact the legal basis on which private sector partners are willing to cooperate.
“While we support efforts to keep UK citizens safe, the National Security (State Threats) Bill lacks clear humanitarian and peacebuilding measures. In particular, it creates a risk of NGOs being inadvertently caught up in the law if any part of the government in the countries where NGOs operate is appointed in the future,” said Paul Abernethy, Bond’s director of public affairs and government relations. Independent.
“Unless the bill clearly states that conduct related to humanitarian and peacebuilding activities is outside its scope, it significantly increases the risk of life-saving humanitarian assistance being blocked in countries where this new law may apply,” he added.
In response to concerns expressed in this article, a Home Office spokesperson said the bill was designed to be consistent with the UK’s obligations under international law while also “tackling serious harm carried out by designated bodies”.
“Legitimate activities such as diplomatic and humanitarian participation and journalistic freedoms are protected in crimes that involve relevant defences,” the spokesman said.
This article was produced as part of The Independent. Rethinking Global Aid project
