Minister for Data Protection and Telecoms (Sir ):The security and resilience
of the UK's digital infrastructure is of central importance to
the Government's strategic objectives. This statement provides an
update on the government's response to the Telecoms Supply Chain
Diversification Advisory Council's report and recommendations. It
outlines the government's approach to addressing the risks to
supply chains that support advanced connectivity technologies.
I am grateful to the Telecoms Supply Chain Diversification
Advisory Council for their report and recommendations, setting
out the risks we skill carry and what the government, working
with industry, should do to address them.
Ensuring that individuals and businesses have access to
high-quality connectivity serves as the foundation of our modern,
digital economy. Given our current and future reliance on this
connectivity, it is essential that these technologies are secure
and resilient. This includes ensuring that we have a healthy,
competitive telecoms supply chain – both to drive innovation and
to avoid the risks that may arise from acute market
concentration. In the broader digital sector, last year's
Crowdstrike incident, which led to IT outages world-wide, showed
just how disruptive it can be when something goes wrong with a
supplier to which we have high exposure.
I accept the Council's recommendations. The previous government
took steps to begin addressing these risks, but government and
industry still have more to do. In the government's response, we
reaffirm our commitment to secure and resilient digital
infrastructure. We outline the steps we will take to manage risks
in the short term, transition to a healthier supply chain in the
medium term, and prevent similar risks from emerging in the long
term.
By addressing these issues, we can drive growth and build
sovereign capability by increasing the share of technologies
developed within the UK. With a strong research base and a range
of suppliers of advanced connectivity solutions based here, we
aim to expand the UK's role in the global supply chain and
influence the next generation of technologies to meet our
connectivity needs.
To seize this opportunity, the government has committed to
Advanced Connectivity Technologies as a key growth market in the
forthcoming Industrial Strategy, utilising our available levers
to maximise our potential. We will work in partnership with the
mobile network operators to deliver the measures set out in this
response. To ensure all our efforts are well-targeted and
informed by those both developing and deploying these
technologies, we will also establish a new Advanced Connectivity
Technologies Council.
The security and resilience risks to our digital infrastructure
are significant, but the economic potential that will be unlocked
by cutting-edge connectivity is vast. Guided by the Telecoms
Supply Chain Diversification Advisory Council's recommendations,
the government will work to advance secure, resilient and
innovative digital infrastructure and the technologies that
enable this, now and in the future.
The Government response will be deposited in the Libraries of
both Houses.
I look forward to continuing work to strengthen, secure and
expand our digital infrastructure, working with stakeholders
across the economy and international partners.
