Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending Cyber Local 2025-26 to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As of April 2025, the way that Devolved Administrations (DAs) receive funding for cyber security has changed. Previously ringfenced cyber budgets will be absorbed into departmental baselines and provided directly to DAs in their overall HM Treasury settlement.
The revised funding arrangements further support DAs, including the Northern Ireland Executive, to make their own choices about how to champion the cyber sector in each part of the UK. DSIT will continue to engage with the Northern Ireland Executive on how to assist the cyber sector, including through the Cyber Local programme.
DSIT continues to support the successful cyber ecosystem in Northern Ireland with key investments such as the Cyber AI Hub programme at Queen’s University Belfast.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, which Northern Irish companies received funding from the £1.8m for regional cyber skills projects.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Cyber Local is a UK government scheme to deliver tailored support for the cyber security sector. It is part of the government’s work to make the UK more resilient against cyber threats, support economic growth and develop digital skills.
£1.9 million of funding will be shared by 31 projects, details of which can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-local-projects-2025. The downloadable spreadsheet indicates the project location and whether the project focuses on skills, resilience or innovation.