Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill

Lord Clement-Jones Excerpts

3rd reading
Monday 2nd November 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra]

That the Bill do now pass.

[Lord Clement-Jones (LD)]

My Lords, as we reach Third Reading and the Bill goes back to the Commons, we need to take account of where the Bill now stands and the choices before us. With the successful passage of Amendment 163 on Report, this House has insisted on a vital regime-wide effectiveness review to address critical gaps in our cyber defences. The decision now rests squarely with the Government whether to engage in parliamentary ping-pong or accept this amendment as a sensible and constructive way forward.

Throughout our scrutiny, we must acknowledge the positive steps that the Government have made, including introducing provisions on high-risk vendors and strengthening incident reporting thresholds. As the Government’s own announcements last month on AI loss of control demonstrate, Ministers are finally waking up to the risks we have highlighted, but threats are moving too fast for half measures or delayed reviews.

I gather that we cannot now indulge in thanking colleagues on these and other Benches and outside organisations. All I can say is that you know who you are and I am grateful. I urge the House to support the “do now pass” Motion.

[Lord Alton of Liverpool (CB)]

My Lords, I will speak in support of what the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, said to the House about the amendment that will now go to another place to be discussed during ping-pong. I simply ask the Minister—who, in the general context of the Bill, has been so helpful in so many respects—to look at the report published today by the Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee of another place, under the chairmanship of her right honourable friend Liam Byrne MP. It points particularly to the role of hostile states in this country, notably the People’s Republic of China. It bears very much on the amendment that your Lordships passed only last week, and I hope the Minister will take the trouble to have a look at it before we get into further discussion on the amendment.