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Written Question
Infrastructure: Cybersecurity
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the efficacy of existing cyber-resilience regulations relating to the UK’s critical national infrastructure.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The National Cyber Strategy 2022 set outcomes for critical national infrastructure (CNI) (in the private and public sector) to better understand & manage cyber risk and minimise the impact of cyber incidents when they occur. In addition, at CyberUK 2023, the Deputy Prime Minister announced specific and ambitious cyber resilience targets for all CNI sectors (public and private sector) to meet by 2025.

Over the past year, the Cabinet Office has been progressing foundational work to support the creation of common but flexible resilience standards across CNI and do more on the assurance of CNI, including cyber assurance preparedness, by 2030. This includes work to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of all regulation that applies to CNI, including (but not limited to) NIS regulations, and to bring more private sector businesses working in CNI within the scope of cyber resilience regulations.

The Government is also committed to ensuring cyber security in the public sector, which is why GovAssure was launched in April 2023. Under GovAssure, government organisations regularly review the effectiveness of their cyber defences against common cyber vulnerabilities and attack methods. We are currently evaluating the first year’s assessments. GovAssure will enable government organisations to accurately assess their levels of cyber resilience across their critical services, highlight priority areas for improvement and provide the Government with a strategic view of cyber capability, risk and resilience across the sector.


Written Question
National Security Council
Wednesday 15th July 2020

Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 6 July (HL5987) and the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 8 July (HL5985), why the gov.uk website for the National Security Council states that there are sub-committees of the Council on (1) threats, hazards, resilience and contingencies, (2) nuclear deterrence and security, (3) matters relating to implementing the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) and National Security Strategy (including cyber matters), and (4) cross-government funds.

Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

The current list on GOV.UK is up to date.


Written Question
National Security Council: Committees
Monday 6th July 2020

Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the (1) Threats, Hazards, Resilience and Contingencies, (2) Nuclear Deterrence and Security, (3) Implementation of the Strategic Defence and Security Review and National Security Strategy, and (4) Cross-Government Funds, sub-committees of the National Security Council still exist; and which Secretary of State or minister chairs each sub-committee.

Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

The bodies referred to were part of a number of sub-Committees of the National Security Council. The Cabinet Office regularly publishes lists of Cabinet Committees and their membership on GOV.UK.

Since July 2019, the National Security Council itself now considers matters relating to national security, foreign policy, defence, international relations and development, resilience, energy and resource security.


Written Question
Emergencies: Risk Assessment
Friday 3rd July 2020

Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord True on 4 June (HL Deb, col 1436) and subsequent correspondence, whether a committee of ministers has assumed responsibility for receiving reports from the cross-departmental governance board referred to in the UK Biological Security Strategy.

Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

There is an undertaking in the Biological Security Strategy for the Governance Board to report progress to the Ministerial National Security Council. The progress report is in its final stages of drafting and will be submitted to the National Security Council when this has cleared the process.