The Home Secretary is ultimately accountable to Parliament and charged with ensuring the maintenance of the King’s Peace within all force areas, safeguarding the public and protecting our national borders and security. The Home Secretary has reserved powers and legislative tools that enable intervention and direction to all parties. These powers may be used, in line with statutory tests and public law principles, in exceptional circumstances when it is determined by the Home Secretary that such action is necessary in order to prevent or mitigate risk to the public or national security. Such powers and tools will not be used to interfere with the democratic mandate of the PCC within a force area, nor seek to interfere with the office of constable or operational independence more generally, unless the Home Secretary is satisfied on the advice of HMICFRS that not to do so would result in a police force failing or national security being compromised.