In response the Minister of State for Crime and Policing, David Hanson, responded that the main purpose of the unit was to:[12] According to HM Inspectorate of Constabulary the NPOIU "performs an intelligence function in relation to politically motivated disorder (not legitimate protests) on behalf of England, Wales and Scotland."
"[10] Evening Standard investigative journalist Andrew Gilligan described it as "a secretive, Scotland Yard-based police taskforce" whose "role in controlling dissent is central".
[22] The Confidential Intelligence Unit was set up in 1999[17] through discussions held by the members of the Association of Chief Police Officers of England and Wales to observe extremist political groups throughout the UK.
[24][25] In January 2011, it was reported that Mark Kennedy of the Metropolitan Police was one of the first officers to work as an undercover infiltrator for the NPOIU, and had spent seven years within the environmental protest movement.
[26] Kennedy later confirmed in an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday, arranged through PR agent Max Clifford,[27] that he as Simon Jenkins suspected suffered a version of "Stockholm syndrome".