Counter Disinformation Unit

Debate between Lord Purvis of Tweed and Viscount Camrose

Tuesday 18th July 2023 Lords Chamber

[Viscount Camrose (Con)]

I apologise to the noble Baroness. Yes, of course I would.

[Lord Purvis of Tweed (LD)]

My Lords, we went through considerable consideration of foreign state threats during the passage of the National Security Act, during which the Government did not present any information about this unit. We now have an independent reviewer of national security legislation for foreign state threats. Why is this unity not within the remit of the independent reviewer?

[Viscount Camrose (Con)]

The purpose of this unit is to monitor information threats, whether state-backed or otherwise. While it would certainly engage with all the necessary other parts of government, its work is not necessarily seen as a part of that body.