Select committee: Defence Committee
Recommendation 21
Second Report - The Security of 5G
Published 8 Oct 2020
Paragraph 120
Addressed to Ministry of Defence
Defence Committee The Security of 5G All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
It is evident that the UK’s lack of industrial capacity in telecommunications is not unique, with China dominating the industry. In order to combat this dominance, we support the principle of proposals for forming a D10 alliance of democracies to provide alternatives to Chinese technology: however, it is not yet clear what the purpose of this alliance is. Following consultation with allies, the Government should set out exactly what the role of this alliance would be and seek to make progress as quickly as possible on formulating joint 5G policy. The Government should explore opportunities for joint network security standard setting across Five Eyes and perhaps more widely, through a D10 or NATO. Following consultation with allies, the Government should set out exactly what the role of this alliance would be and seek to make progress as quickly as possible on formulating joint 5G policy. The Government should explore opportunities for joint network security standard setting across Five Eyes and perhaps more widely, through a D10 or NATO. It should also develop a programme to create necessary industrial capacity.
From: Defence Committee, Second Report - The Security of 5G (HC 201), paragraph 120, 8 October 2020
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 16 December 2020 (deadline 8 December 2020).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government agrees that the UK vendor market is not diverse enough and points to its diversification strategy and the Telecommunications (Security) Bill, while holding to a 2027 removal date for Huawei.
- On supply diversity, it agrees the UK market is "far from satisfactory" and cites a 5G Supply Chain Diversification Strategy, published on 30 November, with an "initial investment of £250 million".
- On the committee's call for the Telecoms Security Bill, it states the Telecommunications (Security) Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on 24 November 2020.
- On removing Huawei faster, it "recognises that there may be pressures" to do so before 2027, but says going "further and faster" would add "considerable further costs and delays".
- On compensation for operators, it says it expects "the cost of ensuring adequate security to be met by individual providers".