Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to prevent the transfer of classified technology to agents of foreign states.

Defence employs a comprehensive and complementary system of controls to manage, protect, track and control the transfer of classified technology. These controls include contract law, backed up by legislation governing the use, management and transfer of classified information, together with associated contractual conditions governing IT and Cyber security, physical security measures, vetting of personnel, and export controls. These controls are underpinned by Foreign Direct Investment screening arrangements, materiel track and trace systems, controls on academic research, IT system accreditation and counter-eavesdropping technical controls as well as the implementation of robust internal security policies by both Defence and industry.