Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if his Department will carry out a Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2020.
Answered by David Lidington
No decision has yet to be made on the timing of the next Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR)
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2018 to Question 150630, when the decision was taken to make the the National Security Council sub-committee on matters relating to cyber programmes and policy development part of the NSC Strategic Defence and Security Review sub-committee.
Answered by David Lidington
We do not give specific details about discussions relating to the configuration of NSC Cabinet sub-Committees.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2018 to Question 150630, when the first meeting of the National Security Council sub-committee on matters relating to cyber programmes and policy development took place; and how many times that sub-committee has met.
Answered by David Lidington
Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees, including when and how often they meet, is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candor of internal discussion.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2018 to Question 150630, what discussions he had with the Secretary of State for Defence prior to the decision being taken to make the National Security Council sub-committee on matters relating to cyber programmes and policy development part of the NSC Strategic Defence and Security Review sub-committee.
Answered by David Lidington
We do not give specific details about discussions relating to the configuration of NSC Cabinet sub-Committees.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2018 to Question 150630, when the National Security Council web page was updated to remove the reference to the National Security Council sub-committee on matters relating to cyber programmes and policy development.
Answered by David Lidington
The website was updated on 11 June 2018 to reflect changes to NSC sub-committee arrangements. This included the removal of the reference to the NSC sub-committee on matters relating to cyber and the addition of the NSC sub-committee on Funds.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2018 to Question 143809, when the decision was taken to merge the Cyber Innovation Fund with the National Security Strategic Investment Fund.
Answered by David Lidington
During conversations with potential private sector investment partners and the British Business Bank over the course of 2017 on how best to deliver the Cyber Innovation Fund, the decision was taken to integrate the funding available into the National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF).
The objectives were aligned and this approach will deliver greater economies of scale and return on investment. The original £10m allocated is still available and will be invested in addition to the NSSIF funding. There were no conversations with the Secretary of State for Defence prior to this decision being taken.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2018 to Question 143809, what discussion his Department had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the decision to merge the Cyber Innovation Fund with the National Security Strategic Investment Fund prior to that decision formally being made.
Answered by David Lidington
During conversations with potential private sector investment partners and the British Business Bank over the course of 2017 on how best to deliver the Cyber Innovation Fund, the decision was taken to integrate the funding available into the National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF).
The objectives were aligned and this approach will deliver greater economies of scale and return on investment. The original £10m allocated is still available and will be invested in addition to the NSSIF funding. There were no conversations with the Secretary of State for Defence prior to this decision being taken.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2018 to Question 143809, whether the £10 million previously allocated to establish a Cyber Innovation Fund was spent; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Lidington
During conversations with potential private sector investment partners and the British Business Bank over the course of 2017 on how best to deliver the Cyber Innovation Fund, the decision was taken to integrate the funding available into the National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF).
The objectives were aligned and this approach will deliver greater economies of scale and return on investment. The original £10m allocated is still available and will be invested in addition to the NSSIF funding. There were no conversations with the Secretary of State for Defence prior to this decision being taken.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2018 to Question 143809, whether any of the £165 million Defence and Cyber Innovation Fund was merged with the National Security Strategic Investment Fund.
Answered by David Lidington
The £165 million Defence and Cyber Innovation Fund is comprised of a £155 million Defence Innovation Fund and a £10 million Cyber Innovation Fund. The £10 million Cyber Innovation Fund has been merged with the National Security Strategic Investment Fund. None of the £155 million Defence Innovation Fund has been merged with the National Security Strategic Investment Fund.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2018 to Question 143701, for what reason the National Security Council sub-committee on matters relating to cyber programmes and policy development does not appear on the list supplied in that answer; and if he will list the Ministers who are members of that sub-committee.
Answered by David Lidington
Cyber has now become part of the NSC Strategic Defence and Security Review sub-committee (NSC(SDSR)). A list of National Security Sub- Committee members can be found on GOV.UK https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/685004/20180301_Cabinet_Committees_and_Implementation_Taskforces.pdf