Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2022 to Question 4425 and with reference to the Answer of 23 February 2022 to Question 124950, if he will review his response of 23 May; and whether he plans to remove any Hikvision cameras in use at his Department.
Answered by George Freeman
As has been the case under successive administrations, it is not government policy to comment on the security arrangements of government buildings. Specific details regarding the make and model of security systems are withheld on national security grounds.
The National Cyber Security Centre and the Centre for Protection of National Infrastructure provide guidance on the use of IP-connected cameras and cyber-connected physical security systems.
Security measures within departments are tailored to protect each site, proportionate to the level of threat, aligned with the HMG Minimum Security Standards and, take into account the building risk categorisation and the physical composition of the site.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Hikvision products are in use in his Department.
Answered by George Freeman
It is not government policy to comment on the security arrangements of government buildings. Specific details regarding the make and model of security systems are withheld on national security grounds.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish the target response time between (a) notification being made to the Investment Security Unit and (b) response from that Unit; and what his Department's latest assessment is of that Unit's performance against that target.
Answered by Paul Scully
The National Security and Investment Act 2021 requires the Secretary of State to prepare an annual report, including information on the numbers of notifications accepted and rejected, the average number of working days taken to accept or reject them, and the sectors in which they fall.
The first annual report covering 4 January 2022 – 31 March 2022 is currently being prepared and will be laid before both Houses and published in due course.
The Government does not publish individual notifications in recognition of the fact that most acquisitions raise no national security risks and are primarily a matter for the parties.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish those notifications made to the Investment Security Unit under the National Security and Investment Act 2021, by sector.
Answered by Paul Scully
The National Security and Investment Act 2021 requires the Secretary of State to prepare an annual report, including information on the numbers of notifications accepted and rejected, the average number of working days taken to accept or reject them, and the sectors in which they fall.
The first annual report covering 4 January 2022 – 31 March 2022 is currently being prepared and will be laid before both Houses and published in due course.
The Government does not publish individual notifications in recognition of the fact that most acquisitions raise no national security risks and are primarily a matter for the parties.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many notifications the Investment Security Unit has received in relation to the National Security and Investment Act 2021 since that Act came into force.
Answered by Paul Scully
The National Security and Investment Act 2021 requires the Secretary of State to prepare an annual report, including information on the numbers of notifications accepted and rejected, the average number of working days taken to accept or reject them, and the sectors in which they fall.
The first annual report covering 4 January 2022 – 31 March 2022 is currently being prepared and will be laid before both Houses and published in due course.
The Government does not publish individual notifications in recognition of the fact that most acquisitions raise no national security risks and are primarily a matter for the parties.