Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the written statement of 18 April 2024 on Economic Security, HCWS415, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of targeted exemptions from the mandatory notification requirements of the National Security and Investment Act 2021.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The National Security and Investment (NSI) Act has an important role to play in ensuring businesses in the UK can thrive and access vital investment without compromising our national security. We are therefore considering the responses to the previous Government’s Call for Evidence and reflecting on our own experiences of making decisions in the NSI system over the past six months.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2024 to Question 11837 on Integrated Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Review, what plans he has to (a) engage and (b) inform Parliament on each review.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
In relation to my answer of 4 November 2024 to Question 11837, decisions about parliamentary engagement are matters for the relevant department owners of each review.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster committed to a review of UK national resilience in his statement to the House of Commons on 19 July, in response to the Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 1 report. The review is expected to conclude in Spring 2025 and includes a broad programme of engagement, including Parliamentary, to ensure the UK Government’s approach to resilience best helps mitigate the challenges we face. The review will also consider the future approach to reporting on and scrutiny of UK national resilience.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2024 to Question 11837 on Integrated Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Review, if he will set out for each of those reviews (a) the process for establishing the evidence base and (b) whether it will be undertaken (i) internally and (ii) include external consultation.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
In relation to my answer of 4 November 2024 to Question 11837, the aforementioned reviews are scheduled to conclude in the first half of 2025. Decisions about publication and consultation are matters for the relevant department owners.
The Cabinet Office owns the resilience review which will conclude in Spring 2025 and will set the future direction for the resilience system. It is an internally-led review which will draw on existing evidence to inform what is working well and what could change, including the findings from the Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 and the Grenfell Inquiry. In addition to regular discussions with stakeholders, Ministers and officials are continuing to meet with those from devolved, regional and local Government, businesses and civil society.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2024 to Question 11837 on Integrated Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Review, if he will set out for each review (a) the planned timeline for completion and (b) whether the findings will be published.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
In relation to my answer of 4 November 2024 to Question 11837, the aforementioned reviews are scheduled to conclude in the first half of 2025. Decisions about publication and consultation are matters for the relevant department owners.
The Cabinet Office owns the resilience review which will conclude in Spring 2025 and will set the future direction for the resilience system. It is an internally-led review which will draw on existing evidence to inform what is working well and what could change, including the findings from the Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 and the Grenfell Inquiry. In addition to regular discussions with stakeholders, Ministers and officials are continuing to meet with those from devolved, regional and local Government, businesses and civil society.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the written statement of 18 April 2024 on Economic Security, HCWS415, when he plans to consult on updates to (a) the mandatory areas and (b) how these are defined under the National Security and Investment Act 2021.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The previous government published a Call for Evidence in November 2023 and a response in April 2024. The Call for Evidence sought feedback from a wide range of stakeholders on the scope of the regime, the notification process and government guidance and communications. The Government is currently considering its next steps, drawing on responses received.
The Government will also review and produce a report on the Notifiable Acquisition Regulations 2021, which set out the areas of the economy in scope of the National Security and Investment Act’s mandatory notification requirements, as required by section 4 of the Notifiable Acquisitions Regulations.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the EU Economic Security Strategy on UK businesses.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government continues to follow the EU’s Economic Security Strategy closely and engages regularly with the EU on these matters, including through the relevant committees under Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled The Atlantic Declaration, updated on 21 June 2023, what progress he has made on (a) a shared workplan on critical and emerging technologies, (b) collaborative Research and Development in (i) advanced semiconductor and (ii) other priority technologies, (c) a Critical Minerals Agreement, (d) establishing a US-UK Strategic Technologies Investor Council, (e) establishing a US-UK Data Bridge, (f) a Joint Clean Energy Supply Chain Action Plan and (g) a Civil Nuclear Partnership.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The UK has worked closely with the U.S. to implement commitments across all five pillars of the Atlantic Declaration, which was announced in June 2023. Key achievements include participation in the inaugural Quantum Development Group, launching the inaugural UK-US Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology, establishing the UK-U.S. Data Bridge, and setting up the Strategic Technology Investor Council, and establishing the US-UK Joint Standing Committee on Nuclear Energy Cooperation.
The UK looks forward to working with President-elect Trump in office, including on his policy priorities and improving UK-US trading relations to support businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled The Atlantic Declaration, updated on 21 June 2023, who is the lead (a) minister and (b) official for (i) a shared workplan on critical and emerging technologies, (ii) collaborative Research and Development in (A) advanced semiconductor and (B) other priority technologies, (iii) a Critical Minerals Agreement, (iv) establishing a US-UK Strategic Technologies Investor Council, (v) establishing a US-UK Data Bridge, (vi) a Joint Clean Energy Supply Chain Action Plan and (vii) a Civil Nuclear Partnership.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office’s National Security Secretariat is responsible for the overall implementation of the Atlantic Declaration. It operates under the leadership of the National Security Advisor, and Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics. Relevant departments are responsible for specific commitments:
Critical and emerging technologies (Secretary of State, Department for Business and Trade and Secretary of State Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Economic security and technology protection toolkits and supply chains (Secretary of State Department for Business and Trade and Secretary of State Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Digital transformation (Secretary of State Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Clean Energy (Secretary of State Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Defence, Health Security, and Space (Secretary of State Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Cabinet Office and Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence)
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the written statement entitled Cabinet Committees, published on 10 October 2024, HCWS118, for what reason the Secretary of State for Business and Trade is no longer a permanent member of the National Security Council.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The National Security Council is a Cabinet Committee, membership of Cabinet Committees is decided by the Prime Minister. Cabinet committees have a standing membership, however other Ministers will be invited according to the agenda.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the written statement entitled Cabinet Committees, published on 10 October 2024, HCWS118, for what reason the National Security Council Economic Security sub-committee has been abolished; and what steps are being taken to co-ordinate economic security policy.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The body referred to in the Rt Hon. Members' question was one of a number of sub-Committees of the National Security Council (NSC). Since July 2024 the National Security Council itself considers economic security, as part of its broader strategic approach to national security including foreign policy, resilience, international relations, economic security, trade, development, defence and global issues.
Economic security is a priority for this Government, and we have taken a number of steps to coordinate economic security policy through the NSC and by embedding economic security into the Government’s Industrial Strategy to support long-term stability. Economic Security is a core concern of the Growth Mission Board and our work with international partners.