Have to seek help by law

“CONTEST” – to ensure that “the highest priorities are given the right resources, and that Government departments and agencies have a unified approach”. The new strategy will be published later this year.

Latest figures show that 850 radicalised individuals have so far travelled to Syria and Iraq to join the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil), with just under half of them returning to the UK.

Some 15 per cent of Britons who travelled to fight with Isil – about 130 people – have been killed.

The Government has a voluntary programme, called Channel, to help people who are at risk of being drawn into terrorism.

All local councils across the country operate Channel schemes and there were about 4,000 people referred to the programme, including many teenagers, last year. The majority of referrals – 70 per cent – are for Muslims believed to be at risk from Islamist extremism.

However, the Government believes that not enough is being done to reorientate those individuals who pose the greatest threat and turn them away from terrorism.

In an outline of its plans, the Home Office said: “We will also be introducing a deradicalisation scheme, which will be mandatory where the law allows, for those who are further down the path to radicalisation and who need a particularly intensive type of support.”

Other measures for boosting Britain’s fight against terrorism include:

Strengthening security at airports and the Channel Tunnel Eurostar terminals

Hiring 1,900 new intelligence officers to work in MI5, MI6 and GCHQ along with a £35 million funding boost this year for armed police to counter a Paris-style terrorist gun attack on Britain’s streets

A review of policing for critical national infrastructure such as the road network, railways, airports and nuclear power plants

Armed patrols on the London Underground, with increased policing of major events in big cities

More work to control the sale of explosive precursor materials.