Debates between Chi Onwurah and Philip Dunne during the 2010-2015 Parliament

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Chi Onwurah and Philip Dunne
Monday 17th March 2014

(10 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Chi Onwurah Portrait Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)
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T7. Last week, the Under-Secretary of State for Defence, the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr Dunne), admitted that he had wasted £50 million on the Cipher cyber-security project. This weekend, we heard that the NATO website and other websites came under attack following the recent actions in Ukraine. Will the Minister give us a timely assessment of the UK’s and NATO’s cyber readiness, particularly with regard to the situation in Ukraine?

Philip Dunne Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Philip Dunne)
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The Cipher contract cost the MOD £46 million. Work under the contract ceased in June of last year at the end of a protracted assessment phase, which concluded that the project would not meet the full defence capability requirement at value for money for the taxpayer. I remind the hon. Lady that the contract was placed in November 2008. It is a classic example of the legacy of out-of-control procurement contracts that we were left when we took office in May 2010.