Michael Howard, leader of Britain's Conservative Party, wants a U.S.-style minister for homeland security appointed.
Last April, Hazel Blears, Home Office minister for crime and policing, was assigned the task of counter-terrorism, the BBC reported Sunday.
Previously, Immigration Minister Beverley Hughes, who resigned earlier this year, was charged with anti-terrorism efforts.
Howard told GMTV anti-terrorism efforts in the United Kingdom should be dealt with by a single minister, "thinking of nothing else but doing everything possible to protect us properly (and) thinking how can we make this a safer place."
He added, "It is true we have had to face terrorist acts before, but I think the scale now is completely different."
© Copyright 2004 by United Press International

