Source · Select Committees · Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Deferred
Paragraph: 43
Considering the importance of developing secure access to PNT services, we are disappointed that the...
Recommendation
Considering the importance of developing secure access to PNT services, we are disappointed that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is delaying the finalisation and publication of the PNT strategy and therefore refusing to commit to the critical action that needs to be taken. Although BEIS is in the process of establishing cross-government strategy on PNT, we believe the responsibility for PNT should lie outside of any one Department. The Government should establish the National Security Adviser (NSA) as having overall responsibility for the UK’s access to secure PNT capabilities. The NSA should ensure that the importance of developing secure PNT systems is understood throughout Government and take responsibility for developing a programme and budget for the work that needs to be carried out. The NSA should take guidance from work that has already been undertaken within Government and publish the National PNT Strategy no later than the end of February 2023, including details of the space- and ground-based components that will be used to ensure the UK has sustained, resilient and secure access to PNT services. If the strategy includes the use of the OneWeb LEO Gen2 constellation, the solutions to the technical challenges drawn out in our evidence should be addressed and the Government should provide clarification on why LEO satellites have been chosen over other, more commonly used, space-based PNT systems. In summary, the strategy should set out: (a) the updated review and estimate of the impact of loss of PNT services on the economy; (b) the results of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) programme, and details of which aspects of the proposed system will be taken forward; (c) the UK Space Agency’s analysis of the space-based elements of PNT and details of which of these will be taken forward; and (d) how secure PNT services can be delivered through LEO and the technical challenges that will need to be overcome to achieve th
Government Response Summary
The government has deferred action on the PNT strategy, stating that the cross-government PNT team, now within the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, will complete its work by Spring 2023 to decide on the next steps, including whether to develop and publish documents, strategies, or plans.
Paragraph Reference:
43
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy recently created a cross government Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) team to take forward this agenda, initially as a ‘concept demonstrator’ project to develop a cross-government position on national PNT resilience through a better understanding of national needs, risks, and mitigations. The team, which will now sit within the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, has drawn on expertise and resource from across multiple government departments. This is in line with the commitment in the March 2021 Integrated Review to strengthen the resilience of PNT services that our critical national infrastructure and economy depend on. already undertaken by the Government. The current phase of the work will be completed by Spring 2023 and will help decide the next steps on future PNT work across government, including decisions on what documents, strategies or plans should be developed and published to meet those aims. The Space-Based PNT Programme (SBPP) built on the United Kingdom Global Navigation Satellite System (UK GNSS) programme to develop recommendations to provide the UK with satellite navigation services. The programme successfully concluded and has provided a range of detailed analysis on options that will be considered by the DSIT-led cross- Government PNT team.