00:00Sadly, we continue to see a concerning number of minors in our national security investigations.
00:07One in five of the 232 terrorism arrests last year were of children under 17.
00:14This needs fresh thinking.
00:19Which is why I'm pleased to announce that the Counterterrorism Operations Centre is now home to the Intervention Centre of Expertise.
00:26This is a new and growing multi-agency team of professionals drawn from both the national security community and wider public services.
00:36The Centre's ambition is to bring a range of professional expertise in managing threats in cases involving adolescence, mental ill health and other complex risks.
00:46If a vulnerable young person on a pathway towards extremist violence can receive the right support such that expensive and scarce MI5 capabilities are not needed and fewer children feature in national security prosecutions, that's good for everyone involved.
01:04Thank you very much.
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