Mr Speaker, with permission I would like to make a statement.
New telecoms technologies and next generation networks like 5G and full fibre can change our lives for the better. They can give us the freedom to live and work more freely, they can help rural communities to develop thriving digital economies and help the socially isolated maintain relationships. They can transform manufacturing and make possible connected and autonomous vehicles, smart clothes and agriculture.
But we can only begin this revolution with confidence if our critical infrastructure remains safe and secure.
We know that there are those who have the intention and the capability to carry out espionage, sabotage and destructive cyber attacks against our communications sector.
And the move to 5G brings a new dimension to these risks, given the increased dependence that our national infrastructure is likely to have on those networks over time.
That’s why soon after taking up this office I commissioned a review into the UK Telecoms Supply Chain, involving government, industry, international partners and the National Cyber Security Centre, and designed to assess the security and resilience of the…
