Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton and James Cartlidge

Monday 14th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[James Cartlidge (South Suffolk) (Con)]

20. What steps his Department is taking to develop offensive cyber-capabilities.

[The Minister for the Armed Forces (Mark Lancaster)]

The Ministry of Defence is committed to exploiting offensive cyber as a warfighting tool. We are developing and employing capabilities through the national offensive cyber programme, and ensuring that offensive cyber is fully integrated with military full-spectrum operations.

[Mark Lancaster]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I can reassure the House that all our offensive cyber operations comply with the law of armed conflict, and with national and international law. This is very much a 21st century technology, which is why we apply the enterprise approach and work closely with the private sector when it comes to developing this capability.

[James Cartlidge]

Of course, the private sector is a real success story; there is huge growth in the area. What more can the Government do to work with the private sector—in the context not just of defensive cyber, but of offensive cyber—to ensure that we can bring forward technology that assists not only the country, but UK firms as well?

[Mark Lancaster]

The short answer is by utilising the skillsets of the private sector. In many ways we have done this by recognising the use of reserves. We cannot always compete with the salaries paid by the private sector, but many of those working in the private sector are committed to national security. That is why this has very much been a growth area when it comes to the use of reserves.