Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Joint Election Security and Preparedness Unit still exists; and if so, when it last held a meeting.

The Joint Election Security and Preparedness Unit (JESP) remains active and continues to convene regular cross-government meetings. These meetings are attended by representatives from government departments, relevant technical authorities, the UK intelligence community, devolved administrations, the police, and the Electoral Commission.

At present there are no plans to introduce a Canadian-style ’critical election incident protocol’ given the processes that are already in place. When an election is called, the JESP Unit stands up an Election Cell to monitor and respond to emerging issues, including information incidents. Protecting our democracy is a priority for this Government and following the 2024 general election the JESP Unit will continue to strengthen resilience ahead of future electoral events.