National security has been stepped up in the wake of 11 September, despite the reported claims by MPs that the UK is ill-prepared for a terror strike, Downing Street has insisted.

The prime minister's official spokesman said important changes had been made to enhance the government's capability to deal with crises and terrorist activity.

We have made a number of important changes to enhance the government's capability to deal with crises and terrorist activity

Prime Minister's spokesman

He was responding to reports the House of Commons Defence Select Committee had concluded that under-funding and poor co-ordination meant the UK's security plans were too lax.

Key government bodies, including the Ministry of Defence police, the Home Office, intelligence services and councils are not working together to keep the country secure, the committee's report, expected on Wednesday, is likely to say.

'Shocked' MPs

According to the Guardian, the committee's findings were so critical that senior Whitehall mandarins have tried to persuade members to tone them down.

It is reported that the MPs were shocked to discover that key strategic sites, including Royal Navy ships and the new national air traffic service centre at Swanwick, Hampshire, were not better protected.

Extra policing followed the attacks

The investigation was prompted by last year's 11 September terror attacks on the US.

The MPs are expected to compare US president George Bush's appointment of Tom Ridge as head of homeland security following the atrocity, with, what one source described as the UK's approach of "let's set up a committee".

'Bolster security'

But Mr Blair's spokesman said: "We haven't yet seen the report from the defence committee.

"Since September 11 we have made a number of important changes to enhance the government's capability to deal with crises and terrorist activity.

"For example, as a result of the Anti-Terrorism and Security Act there is now a new package of measures to bolster security in the UK.

"We have established the Civil Contingencies Secretariat. There is a lot of work that has gone on there to improve the country's and the government's resilience - but we recognise that work will always need to be ongoing in this area.

"We have done a lot, we would argue. But equally there is more to be done.

"We have tightened security in relation to aviation, civil nuclear sites and taken steps to cut off terrorist access to funds.

"On the whole we believe that the crisis machinery works well but it is always open to improvement and clearly we will look carefully at this report."

Prepare for the worst

The report is likely to urge the Treasury to make a major boost to Ministry of Defence police funds.

The damning account is likely to disclose that emergency services, including the fire service, have incompatible communications systems, with the army having a separate system.

The Guardian says the MPs will also call for legislation that would require local councils to plan and prepare for emergencies.

They are also likely to be critical of the civil contingencies secretariat, which was created after the fuel protests and floods in autumn 2000, claiming it lacks the drive to pull security plans together.

Mike Hancock, a Liberal Democrat member of the committee, is said to have told the inquiry he "could have gone alongside a ship in the dockyards, moored alongside and painted, 'You have been blown up. You are now all dead' on the side of the damn ship".

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said he could not comment on the report before it was published.