Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 28
28
Accepted in Part
Given the importance of combatting foreign information manipulation and interference, it is unacceptable that the...
Recommendation
Given the importance of combatting foreign information manipulation and interference, it is unacceptable that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is presently under-resourced. The Government should immediately rectify this by utilising the funds associated with the defence uplift to increase funding and staffing within the newly formed Hybrid Threats Directorate. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office must have the necessary resources to ensure their critical work can be conducted across all regions of interest and take forward this ministerial priority. (Recommendation, Paragraph 142)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government partially agrees with the importance of the issue, stating that it has ensured existing allocations target hybrid threats, and confirms the Hybrid Threats Directorate has been allocated a non-ODA budget for the current spending review period to enable effective action.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted in Part
49. This Government shares the Committee’s concerns about the scale and severity of the challenge to the democracy and security of the UK and that of our international partners. We are committed to going further and faster to defend ourselves and our allies by limiting the impact of information threats. 50. The Department has ensured that the allocations we have received are targeting the threats and challenges we face, including a key focus on countering hybrid threats including cyber attacks, election interference, and FIMI. This demonstrates the Government’s firm commitment to countering the growing scale and sophistication of FIMI. It also underlines the FCDO’s commitment to continue modernising its capabilities through to 2030 and beyond. 51. We will continue to prioritise our resources on targeting information networks propagating FIMI activity at source, as well as driving concerted international action with our closest partners. Hybrid Threats Directorate has been allocated a non-ODA budget for this spending review period that enables sustained and more effective action to counter hybrid threats.
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