Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what role (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) Ofcom play in ensuring the cyber-security of telecommunication exchanges (i) at Wapping in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and (ii) in the City of London.

The Government is committed to ensuring the security and resilience of the UK’s telecommunications infrastructure. The Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 introduced a robust security framework requiring public telecoms providers to identify, reduce and prepare for security and resilience risks. We have also included data centres as parts of Critical National Infrastructure.

DSIT is responsible for developing policies to help ensure the security of the UK’s public telecoms networks and services. DSIT works with the National Cyber Security Centre as the technical authority providing advice on cyber-security threats and vulnerabilities, the National Protective Security Authority as the technical authority for physical and personnel security, and Ofcom as regulator for the framework.

The Government does not comment on the security of specific sites; however, we work with our agencies to respond to specific security incidents or vulnerabilities identified.