Category: Technology

  • Liz Lloyd – 2026 Speech on Security

    Liz Lloyd – 2026 Speech on Security

    The speech made by Liz Lloyd, the Telecoms Minister, on 28 May 2026.

    Hello everyone.

    It is a pleasure to be with you here this afternoon.

    It is tempting to think of our subject matter today – the security and resilience of subsea cables – as something utterly modern.

    After all, it seems like every day we are reminded of just how fundamentally reliant we’ve become on this extraordinary technology.

    But history tells a longer story. Exactly 126 years ago to the day a naval officer named

    Carlyon Bellairs stood in this very institute and asked this question:
    how can Britain make its subsea cables more secure and resilient?

    Even at the dawn of the twentieth century, those early telegraph cables were laying the foundations for global connectivity – carrying financial transactions, business communications, and military signals across continents in near real time.

    Bellairs recognised that this was transforming both global commerce and global power.

    But he also warned that it was creating profound new vulnerabilities beneath the sea.

    More than a century later, the technology has advanced radically, but the core strategic challenge remains the same.

    Just as Bellairs made clear in 1900:

    Our task is not to eliminate risk – that would be impossible given the vast ocean floor.

    Instead, we must build resilient systems able to withstand disruption.

    So today, I want to lay out the three core pillars which this Government will use as the foundations for this work:

    • Resilience through growth
    • Deterrence; and
    • Security.

    Resilience through growth

    Let me begin with our first pillar: Resilience through growth.

    True resilience does not come from hiding from the world or trying to encase our infrastructure in concrete.

    It comes from economic vitality.

    And it depends, more than anything else, on ensuring we have a healthy, thriving, and expanding cable sector – an engine of the UK’s broader economic success story to date.

    Today, subsea fibre-optic cables are the silent workhorses of our economy.

    Without them the UK would be functionally cut off from the outside world.

    Much of our modern digital lives would simply cease to function.

    Every international payment, every cross-border trade executed in milliseconds, every flow of data between businesses here in the UK and markets overseas – all travel along the seabed.

    And demand is skyrocketing.

    Artificial intelligence is driving a massive wave of infrastructure investment.

    Just last month, my Secretary of State in DSIT spoke here at RUSI about the Government’s ambition for Sovereign AI.

    Thanks to this Government’s efforts, the private sector will invest tens of billions of pounds in the UK’s AI infrastructure over the coming years:

    Powering our AI Growth Zones, boosting productivity, and securing the high-quality jobs of the future.

    But that compute power relies on data, and that data is carried by subsea cables.

    That is why we must support the next generation of investment.

    Many of the cables landing on our shores were laid twenty years ago during the initial data centre boom.

    To replace and expand them, government must play an active role in creating the conditions for commercial success.

    First, that means common-sense regulation.

    We are reviewing our legislative framework to ensure regulation supports growth rather than holds it back.

    To give you just one example, we are taking a pragmatic approach to environmental red tape – exempting, wherever possible, the laying, maintenance, and removal of subsea cables from unnecessary requirements.

    This is particularly true in deep waters, where we know the impact on marine life is extremely limited.

    Second, we are ensuring we have the domestic capability to keep this network running.

    Right now, if a cable breaks in UK waters, a repair vessel is usually on site – ready to fix it – in eight days.

    That is a world-leading response time.

    But we cannot take it for granted.

    So this Government is now completing a detailed piece of market engagement to ensure we can retain a UK-based UK flagged sovereign repair capability long into the future.

    We will make a final decision towards achieving this important aim by the end of the year. Investments like this drive resilience.

    And when we look at the core mission of our newly expanded National Wealth Fund –
    to crowd in private finance, upgrade critical infrastructure, and anchor the supply chains of the future – this is precisely where government can step up to make the difference.

    We are already putting this approach into practice.

    Just two months ago, we announced a massive £600m deal to unlock the Eastern Green Link 4 project.

    A 530km subsea energy superhighway running beneath the North Sea.

    An investment that will not only upgrade our national grid – but also strengthen our domestic supply chain, and anchor high-skilled jobs right here in the UK.

    By building strong domestic industries we don’t just protect infrastructure; we strengthen Britain’s position in its most strategically vital sectors.

    We ensure that our resilience is powered – by our growth.

    Deterrence

    But economic growth must also be defended, which brings me to our second pillar: Deterrence.

    There is a persistent myth that our subsea cables are completely defenceless, and that adversaries can operate over them in total secrecy.

    Let me be absolutely clear: that is completely false.

    We are – at all times – watching, tracking, and actively deterring threats to this critical infrastructure.

    Just last month, the Defence Secretary revealed that our Armed Forces – in partnership with our allies – tracked Russian submarines operating in UK waters.

    Their mission was to survey our cables in peacetime;

    So they could more easily sabotage them in conflict.

    They wanted this operation to be secret.

    But they failed.

    Our Royal Navy followed their submarines throughout and made its presence clearly felt.

    Our message to President Putin was simple: we can see what you’re doing and any interference will have serious consequences.

    That military shield can easily be taken for granted –

    Defending our island is a relentless task that is rarely made public.

    But it is exactly what gives the market the stability and the confidence to build, and to lead the global AI revolution from British shores.

    Though, alone it is not enough.

    Deterrence in the twenty-first century requires also a collaborative effort between government and industry – to shine a light on what is happening on the seabed.

    By embracing advances in sensing technology, we can transform subsea cables from passive transmitters into intelligent systems.

    These next-generation systems won’t just carry data; they will actively monitor environmental changes, improve our understanding of seabed activity, and detect hazards or interference before disruption even happens.

    When we can see a threat coming, we can deter it.

    But true deterrence requires a robust, credible legal framework too.

    For acts of sabotage clearly linked to a hostile state, our laws already carry life imprisonment for the most serious cases.

    But malicious activity below the ocean surface doesn’t always present itself so clearly.

    As you all know, it frequently operates in the “grey zone” – ambiguous in intent;
    hard to prove; and
    difficult to prosecute.

    Right now, the legal system is simply not keeping pace with the threat.

    Some of the core legislation we rely on dates back to when even Lieutenant Bellairs was a child!

    Needless to say, it was written for a different world.

    So we are changing that.

    Today I’m announcing that this Government will bring forward new legislative proposals for consultation that will modernise and strengthen our criminal framework in this domain.

    We will make the law clearer, tougher, and much harder to evade.

    Sending a clear message that if you act recklessly, or if you deliberately target our cables, there will be serious consequences.

    Because deterrence only works if it is credible.

    And we cannot let anyone operate in the shadows of our seas with impunity.

    Security

    Our final pillar is Security – reducing the physical and systemic vulnerabilities in our network so that we can withstand and rapidly recover from disruption.

    Now – just as in the past – the vast majority of cable breaks are not from deliberate sabotage.

    They are accidental, caused by natural seabed movements or anchors being dragged across the seabed.

    Security, therefore, requires practical, everyday risk reduction.

    And so to prevent accidental damage, I am proud today to formally endorse the European Subsea Cables Association’s new Fishing Liaison Guidelines.

    Developed in close partnership between government, industry, and the fishing sector, these guidelines offer a practical blueprint for how two of our vital maritime industries can operate safely alongside one another – sharing information and protecting the ocean floor.

    Of course, we must also secure the vital nodes where these cables come ashore.

    Cable landing stations are critical bottlenecks; they house the data management and power systems that keep the entire network alive.

    And so to protect them, we are working hand-in-hand with the National Protective Security Authority and the National Cyber Security Centre to deliver detailed, up-to-date physical and cyber-security guidance for cable operators.

    Building on the Telecommunications Security Act, we also intend to consult on new legislative measures to ensure a robust baseline level of security across our entire cable network.

    This means clearer duties to manage risk, maintain rigorous response plans, and report incidents rapidly.

    Finally, security means looking ahead at how we use our waters.

    Our analysis with The Crown Estate shows that by 2035 the UK will rely on a significantly higher capacity of cables to match skyrocketing digital demand.

    To manage this crowded environment, this Government is looking carefully at how we prioritise the seabed.

    We have worked across departments to map out and actively protect the space needed for future cable routes.

    Because by managing seabed congestion we can reduce single choke points where multiple cables converge and protect them from accidents while still achieving our green energy ambitions for much more offshore wind.

    And because data does not stop at national boundaries, our security strategy cannot stop there either.

    Which is why we are deepening our international cooperation, particularly with our near neighbours.

    To give just one example – we are working closely with the Irish Government to align our incident response plans.

    In fact, later this year, the UK and Ireland will conduct a joint exercise to rehearse how we would respond to major subsea cable disruption.

    And this will not be a one-off.

    It sits within a broader programme of sustained cooperation and regular exercises – designed to build, strengthen and reinforce our shared resilience over the years ahead.

    But our ambition extends beyond our immediate waters too.

    Through our leadership in the International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable

    Resilience, we are actively exporting these high security standards globally – ensuring British companies can compete, innovate, and operate effectively anywhere in the world.

    Because when British industry succeeds on the global stage, our entire nation becomes more secure.

    Conclusion: building a secure and prosperous future

    And so let me finish right where I began.

    With the timeless strategic reality that Bellairs identified in this building all those years ago.

    He reminded his audience that for a great maritime nation, economic prosperity and national security are not two separate competing interests.

    They are two sides of the same coin.

    True resilience is won not only when a country is well-defended.

    But also when it has the confidence to build, to grow, and to lead.

    And so while the challenges we face are substantial.

    The UK is approaching this era from a position of strength.

    We have always been a nation whose prosperity and security depend on our courage to reach out across the seas and to connect with the wider world.

    Achieving that future is a responsibility that neither government nor industry can carry alone.

    It requires us to walk in lockstep.

    So let’s leave today:

    • Clear-eyed about the risks we face.
    • Proud of this country’s world-leading industry; and
    • Confident in the UK’s ability to meet the challenge of the future.

    Thank you very much.

  • Liz Lloyd – 2026 Comments on Subsea Cables

    Liz Lloyd – 2026 Comments on Subsea Cables

    The comments made by Liz Lloyd, the Telecoms Minister, on 29 May 2026.

    The UK already has strong protections in place for our subsea cables, but in a more uncertain world we cannot stand still.

    As hostile activity by Russia and others grows, protecting these cables matters more than ever for our economy, security and daily lives. That is why we plan to go further with tougher penalties for reckless damage, stronger security obligations and new powers to respond quickly when incidents happen.

    True resilience depends on having a healthy thriving telecoms sector, and government must play an active role in creating the conditions for commercial success. By building a strong domestic industry we don’t just protect infrastructure, we strengthen the UK’s position as a global centre for digital trade.

  • Ian Murray – 2026 Statement on UK Biobank Data

    Ian Murray – 2026 Statement on UK Biobank Data

    The statement made by Ian Murray, the Minister for Digital Government and Data, in the House of Commons on 23 April 2026.

    With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will make a statement about the use of UK Biobank data.

    UK Biobank is a non-profit charity, independent of Government. The Biobank brings together data, kindly donated by its volunteer participants, that is shared with accredited researchers globally to make significant scientific discoveries that improve patient health. That includes discovering genes that affect the risk of heart disease or cancer, identifying new ways of predicting dementia, identifying early warning signs for cancers, understanding immunity to covid-19, and work towards earlier detection of Parkinson’s. It is one of the most successful and important studies of its type, and it continues to benefit patients in the UK and around the world. We are all grateful to those individuals who are part of this landmark study that is so important for all of our health.

    On Monday 20 April, the UK Biobank charity informed the Government that it had identified that its data had been advertised for sale by several sellers on Alibaba’s e-commerce platforms in China. Biobank told us that three listings that appeared to sell UK Biobank participation data had been identified. At least one of the three datasets appeared to contain data from all 500,000 UK Biobank volunteers. Additional listings offered support for applying for legitimate access to UK Biobank data or analytical support for researchers who already have access to the data. I want to reassure the House up front, however, that Biobank has advised that this data did not contain participants’ names, addresses, contact details or telephone numbers. The Government have spoken to the vendor today and they do not believe that there were any purchases from the three listings before they were taken down.

    Once the Government were made aware of the situation, we took immediate action to protect participants’ data. First, we worked with Biobank, the Chinese Government and the vendor to ensure that the three listings that UK Biobank informed us included participant data had been removed. I want to thank the Chinese Government for the speed and seriousness with which they worked with us to help remove the listings and the ongoing work to remove any further listings. Secondly, we ensured that the Biobank charity revoked access to the three research institutions identified as the source of the information. Thirdly, we have asked that the Biobank charity pauses further access to its data until it has put in place a technical solution to prevent data from its current platform from being downloaded in this way again. I can confirm to the House that this pause is now in place. UK Biobank has also referred itself to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

    We are still working with Biobank to ascertain from it the specific detail of what has happened. We have asked it to investigate how this data ended up for sale online as a priority, but I wanted to ensure that the House was aware of the incident and the action that the Government are taking.

    Officials have been in regular contact with UK Biobank since the Government were made aware of the issue on Monday. I personally spoke to the chief executive and chair last night, alongside the Minister of State for Science and the Minister for Health Innovation and Safety. We have received assurances that the charity will conduct a rapid board-level review of the safeguards in place for accessing its data.

    As I mentioned, in the short term, Biobank will suspend downloads from its platform. That is until a new system is brought in to control analysis downloads to approved researchers and will significantly enhance data access controls and safeguards. We have advised the chair and chief executive of Biobank to write to all participants as soon as possible to ensure that they are aware of what has happened.

    In summary, and to be clear to the House and to those people affected, the charity has assured us that the data did not contain anybody’s names, addresses or contact details. It includes only data of people who have explicitly opted in to be part of the Biobank. Those are people who have given their explicit consent that this data can be used, in the knowledge that it will be shared with researchers globally.

    Participants have done a great service to the people of this country, and human health globally, through their participation. For example, valuable research is being carried out at McGill University in Canada into chronic pain, which afflicts millions of people here in the UK. We expect UK Biobank to remain one of the leading health research resources.

    This has been an unacceptable abuse of the UK Biobank charity’s data, and an abuse of the trust that participants rightly expect when sharing their data for research purposes. The Government take the incident extremely seriously, which is why we have acted rapidly to support the UK Biobank charity in its response and why I wanted to update the House at the earliest opportunity.

    The Government will soon be issuing new guidance on control of data from research studies. I take this opportunity once again to urge all businesses and charities to ensure that that their systems and data-sharing processes are as secure as possible. We wrote to businesses last week about the cyber-security tools available to them—for free—from the Government and the steps they should take to maximise security. Ensuring the safe use of UK data is a priority for the Government. I commend this statement to the House.

  • Darren Jones – 2026 Speech on the Public Consultation for Digital ID

    Darren Jones – 2026 Speech on the Public Consultation for Digital ID

    The speech made by Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, in the House of Commons on 10 March 2026.

    Today the Government are launching a national conversation on how we will build and use digital ID as the means to access public services digitally on a mobile phone or computer.

    Public services are meant to be there at the most important moments of your life: free childcare hours to help your children get a good start in life, getting your passport to go on your first holiday, passing your driving test and getting your first driving licence, asking for help if you lose your job, or receiving your state pension in retirement. But today, as the House knows, it is often too hard for people to get what they need when they need it. The current legacy system of call centres, paperwork and the need for people to tell their story multiple times to different parts of Government, with hours on hold and not knowing where they are in the process, is not good enough. I want to change that, and this Government will.

    In its place, we will build a truly modern Britain where public services work for the citizen, through new digital public services that come together on the gov.uk app, so that help is there when people need it most. To do that, Government need to build the foundations for these new modern public services, and that is exactly what this digital ID system is for. It will be free to access for anyone who wishes to use it, and it will be built on three core principles. First, it must be useful. It needs to be easier than the old telephone and paper-based systems. Secondly, it must be secure. People will have more control over what data they share, and we expect nothing less than the level of security protections provided by banks for online banking services. Thirdly, it must be for everyone. We will not leave people behind, and the Government will help those who are less confident with technology or do not have other forms of ID, such as a passport.

    With a digital ID, citizens will be able to log in to the gov.uk app and then, crucially, prove who they are. But unlike an ordinary login, the digital ID will work across different Departments and services, bringing those all together in one place in the gov.uk app, so that the public can access all the services they need in one place. This is different from building one giant Government IT system—that is not what we are doing. Services will remain on separate IT systems in their relevant Departments, and the NHS app and citizens’ health data will always remain separate, but the gov.uk app and digital ID will, over time, bring all other public services into one app on mobile phones—the front door to modern public services.

    This will not be a new experience for citizens. The public already use these systems every day, from banking to shopping. Other countries are already far ahead of us, from Denmark and Estonia to Australia and India. Britain is having to catch up.

    It is an issue of convenience and efficiency, but it is also one of fairness and equality. We all know who the status quo often favours: those with the resources, the headspace, and perhaps the pointy elbows or the pushiness to get themselves to the front of the queue or allow them to play the system. But public services are meant Toggle showing location ofColumn 182to be there when people need them most, and how the legacy system has sometimes treated people in these stressful or difficult situations is quite frankly an outrage, piling them up with bureaucracy and leaving them without the help they need.

    Who is it who struggles to fill in the forms correctly or lacks the form of ID required? Who are the one in seven people across the UK who do not have a passport? They are often the strivers who are juggling work and caring responsibilities. This Government believe that everybody deserves a fair shot, and it is up to Government to give people support and a leg-up when they need it.

    Today we are launching this national conversation to discuss how we will build and use a digital ID. We want to know where frustrations exist with the current legacy system and which services could be made easier via the gov.uk app. Later today, I will share a prototype of how a digital ID could work that shows how “government by app” could become a reality, joining up different Departments and services so that the public do not have to do the work themselves.

    In the initial stages, the digital ID system will start by making it easier to complete simple administrative tasks, such as proving one’s right to work when starting a job. Other tasks, such as paying car tax, ordering a passport or sorting childcare entitlements, could become part of the same app. I understand that the idea of a digital ID has sparked significant public interest, so I have instructed my Department to ensure that this consultation goes further than any other that the Government have done before.

    As part of the public consultation, which is live right now, we will invite a representative sample of the public at large—from all walks of life and all parts of the country—to form a people’s panel. [Interruption.] That deliberative democracy process will build on our experience of supporting Parliament’s citizens assembly on net zero in the previous Parliament. Working with over 100 citizens, we will debate the difficult questions, find ways forward and build a system that can secure the trust and support of everyone. [Interruption.] To those Members chuntering from a sedentary position about having a conversation with the public, I say, “What do you fear?” This Government are very happy to talk to the public about what we are doing, and I look forward to talking to hon. Members’ constituents if they are selected to be part of the process.

    I understand that this will not be for everyone. I hope that the services we build will be so good that most people will wish to use them, but for those who do not, I want to make sure that help is on hand in their local community. That is why the roll-out of the digital ID will be accompanied by a digital inclusion drive to help people to access and use the services. I do not come to Parliament today with preconceived answers, and we will of course need to ensure that any future scheme is value for money, but I am interested to hear ideas about how we might use the people and buildings we already support through public expenditure to help local communities. We could use local post offices and postal workers, or libraries and jobcentres, to ensure that the majority of people can, if they need to, access digital assistance to use these services. For those who really do not wish to, traditional routes will of course still be made available.

    As right hon. and hon. Members from across the House know, by the end of this Parliament, digital checks to verify someone’s right to work will be mandatory when they start a new job. It is currently a legal requirement for employers to check that a new employee has a legal right to work in the United Kingdom, but the often paper-based approach of photocopying or scanning a passport or utility bills, without further checks, is vulnerable to fraud and does not create a clear record for enforcement agents of when and where checks have been carried out. That is why the Prime Minister has asked for those existing checks to be conducted digitally by the end of this Parliament. It will still be the employer’s responsibility, but employees will be able to choose between using their Government digital ID—as we are setting out today—and using a passport, e-visa or other alternative method. It will be easier and quicker for individuals to demonstrate their right to work. For businesses, it will streamline and reduce the cost of compliance reporting. For the Home Office, it will create a digital audit trail of where checks have been carried out, to support enforcement where checks have not been carried out and to deter those who think that it is too easy to work illegally in the United Kingdom.

    This is quite a technical consultation, but it is also a deeply political one. When the public voted for change they also voted for better public services. That is what Labour Governments at their best are all about: building new and innovative public services to support opportunity for all, rather than for just the privileged few—from the NHS in the 1940s, to the Open University in the 1960s and Sure Start centres in the 2000s. Today we are continuing that proud Labour tradition by building modern, digital public services that extend opportunity and support for people when they need it. This stands in stark contrast to political parties that wish to conserve the unacceptable status quo, or that offer to tear everything down and leave people on their own.

    We want people across Britain to want this system, we want them to be part of it, and we want them to have the opportunity to shape it. This consultation is that opportunity. I look forward to the involvement of Members from across the House and of our constituents. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield (Josh Simons) for his work on this issue to date, and the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Bury North (Mr Frith), for all the work that he will now do to make this a reality—for which I will take the credit if it goes well, and he the blame if it goes wrong. I commend this statement to the House.

  • Kanishka Narayan – 2026 Speech on AI

    Kanishka Narayan – 2026 Speech on AI

    The speech made by Kanishka Narayan, the Minister for AI and Online Safety, at the Founders Forum on 10 February 2026.

    Thank you, Carolyn, the Tech Nation, London AI Founders and Merantix teams. 

    When I said I wanted to share our AI vision and delivery news with our founders… 

    …I knew I wanted to do it at the heart of Britain’s AI community. 

     Within a year, you have created that here, at the London AI Hub. Thank you for doing so and thank you for opening its doors tonight. 

    Historical heritage

    175 years ago, London’s makers similarly opened up their doors. 

    During the Great Exhibition of 1851, the world came to London and saw the first wave of mass-produced consumer goods. 

    Most of it was what textile designer and social activist William Morris called ”shoddy”— cheap, poorly made, and “ugly”.  

    Critics of these goods argued it was designed by machines to mimic hand-made luxury, except without the soul. 

    But Morris didn’t reject the machine. Along with the Arts and Crafts movement, he demanded that the machine be the servant of the craftsman. 

    They built the Kelmscott Press, treating the “technology” of printing as a way to create the most beautiful books in history.  

    They challenged the decline in printing… 

    …ushered in a new aesthetic… 

    …exerted greater agency… 

    …and inspired the Private Press movement. 

    This fork of 1851 is perhaps one of the most significant moments in the history of design. 

    It put to humans a central question:  

    Does the machine exist to serve what is beautiful about the world, or to replace it with dull mimicry detached from our humanity?  

    For Morris, that question of aesthetic was grounded in the question of agency:  

    Is technology wielded by humans, or is the beauty of our life injured by our 

    service to machines? 

    175 years on, I believe we face Morris’ question again.  

    Indeed, I believe it to be the central question today for both our startups and our politics. 

    Faced with Grok stripping human dignity… 

    …do we wield agency, or does technology? 

    With model releases now separated by months, , how do British startups build with agency, to real needs that persist? With model releases now separated by months, how do British startups build with agency, to real needs that persist?  

    In fear of AI’s jobs impact, can we enhance human labour or are we bystanders in its erosion? 

    My primary purpose tonight is to tell you a simple vision:  

    This government will wield agency over technology to serve the power of our labour… 

    …the need of our economy… 

    …the joy of our aesthetic…  

    … and the depth of our British values. 

    The context for founders

    Today, British tech’s challenge is this: before we can steer the wheel, we need to get to the front of the bus. We need greater British technology ownership before we can demand deeper British technology influence. 

    In my maiden speech , I talked about the shock that no working-age person in this country had seen a start-up go to the FTSE top ten. In the US, 8 out of 10 had. 

    The last decade and a half failed to exercise British agency. 

    In the most fruitful period for technology businesses, Britain did not get a seat on the bus. 

    Part of that is because previous governments made us into burdened Britons… 

    …carrying greater risk in our frozen wages…  

    …our flat pensions…  

    …our eroded public services…  

    …not the buccaneering Britons we had been and must be again.  

    Already, we have begun to break glass on our frozen heritage of curious adventure. 

    Our changes to Enterprise Management Incentives now make Britain pretty much the best tax system in the world to chase curiosity as a startup tech employee…. 

    …Our pension reforms, our ramp up in BBB scaleup capital deployment, mean British buccaneering will finally get the rocket booster of British bucks…. 

    …Our changes to research funding – a focus on curiosity-driven research, backed with funding to commercialise – mean returning to our heritage of moonshot invention and industrial application together.  

    And to fire up our imagination for adventure, we have some of our best tech leaders banging the drum for startups… 

    …whether that be Tom Blomfield as our AI Ambassador for British startups and scale ups, talent and investment or Katie Gallagher, our AI Sector Champion for Digital and Tech. 

    Above all, we have put fiscal credibility and financial responsibility back at the heart of government. 

    I came into politics after a career advising FTSE firms and investing in our startups, because I believed in a clear economic mission: Keir Starmer’s commitment to restoring stability and trust in the public finances.  

    Because markets punish uncertainty without hesitation. 

    We saw that in the chaos of the Truss era – capital pulled back, confidence evaporated, a risk premium priced into everything. 

    Many have since forgotten that this is not some abstract Treasury concern: it is the basis of a young families’ mortgage…  

    …of local councils’ finances in managing potholes… 

    …parks, our public spaces… 

    …the basis of dignity for millions of borrowers in this country… 

    …and of growth and prosperity, across this country.  

    It is the stability that marked 2025 as the year financial credibility returned, the year the UK startup economy roared back to life. 

    Investment is flowing again.  

    Founders are building with confidence.  

    The pipeline from idea to scale is wide open once more. 

    Last year, UK startups and scale-ups raised around $24 billion in venture capital, nearly 35 per cent up on the year before, one of the strongest performances on record.  

    UK AI startups alone raised almost $8 billion, roughly a third of all venture capital invested into British tech. 

    And the UK is once again Europe’s startup engine, producing more unicorns than France and Germany combined. 

    Celebrating success

    But let me be candid.  

    Our lost opportunity was not just down to those who didn’t take risk… 

    …it was down to us failing to value those who did.  

    Somewhere in our history, we let ourselves be captured by that most vicious guard of conservative privilege: the tall poppy syndrome. 

    We forgot that the root of the tall poppy tale, thousands of years old, wasn’t some egalitarian impulse; it was, in fact, the most egregiously privileged advice of King Tarquin Superbus to his son: that the path to elite control for kings ran through the total destruction of common merit and talent. 

    We can course correct from that fork of fake British mythology.So when people say to me today: we don’t celebrate those who have taken risk and succeeded. I say back: we have agency on this question, so why don’t we start today? 

    Now is the time to recognise the innovators that are shaping the future, right here in the UK.  

    The entrepreneurial spirit of Arm’s pioneering founders created a world-leading semiconductor firm that is spear-heading the development of transformative new technologies, including AI.  

    This would not have been possible without each of those twelve individuals… 

    …Jamie Urquhart, Mike Muller, Tudor Brown, Lee Smith, John Biggs, Harry Oldham, Dave Howard, Pete Harrod, Harry Meekings, Al Thomas, Andy Merritt, and David Seal.  

    It’s time that we recognise their contribution to innovation, and the contribution of founders across the UK’s technology stack.  

    Cleo’s Barney Hussey-Yeo is driving financial services transformation.  

    Quantinuum’s Ilyas Khan is accelerating quantum computing to unlock the technology’s full potential. 

    ElevenLabs’s Mati Staniszewski and Piotr Dabkowski are stretching the boundaries of voice generation to supercharge translation, transcription and agentic capabilities. 

    The risks that these founders took are driving growth and prosperity in the UK.  

    I want to continue recognising these achievements, and so each year I will showcase the innovative founders who are transforming the UK for the better.  

    And as I do so, I’m committed to ensuring we celebrate the full breadth of that talent.  

    The UK remains the largest hub for female-founded innovation in Europe, as recognised by the 2025 Female Innovation Index… 

    …Yet we know that our technology ecosystem still skews heavily male.  

    The Secretary of State and I are determined to change that… 

    …That is why we launched the Women in Tech Taskforce in December- to address the barriers that prevent women from starting tech businesses, entering the sector, or progressing once they’re in.  If women started and scaled new businesses at the same rate as men, our economy could see a £250 billion boost. 

    So we will champion the game-changing work that is being done by the women who are blazing the way in tech leadership. 

    Women like Starling Bank’s Anne Boden, PensionBee’s Romi Savova, and Resi’s Alex Depledge, who is also serving this country as an Entrepreneurship Advisor to the UK’s first female Chancellor. 

    This is the talent that will cement the UK as a global tech leader. 

    And we should be aiming this high. My ambition, within the next 5 years, is to name a trillion-dollar founder from our shores. 

    Some may say that setting out this target in such terms is its own risk… 

    …to them I say that government is embracing the mentality that has been so successful for our ambitious founders.  

    Opportunity dispersed

    Yet, even when we have fixed our relationship with risk, we have a choice to make. 

    We could have fixed it for elites. 

    We could have spared tall poppies Tarquin’s cull. 

    That was the pattern of the SaaS and smartphone revolutions, the trend of frontier tech in the last 2 decades: let elites build, let the rest benefit.  

    That cannot be the trend of the next 2 decades.  

    AI’s opportunity is too spread to encourage that narrow vision: it’s not just concentrated code, but diffuse physics, that will determine AI’s impact.  

    Crucially, Britain’s strength is a separate trend: British tech has done best when we have spread opportunity. 

    There is a reason that our largest UK-listed tech company started in 1981 when a local printing firm owner asked a university student to automate his quotes and accounting.  

    The automation worked so well, they decided to quit printing and start selling. Plotting their startup at the Rose and Crown pub, they saw a herb poster on the wall: having ditched calling their company Parsley Systems, Rosemary Systems and Basil Systems, they landed on the startup’s name: Sage Systems. 

    Over 4 decades on, that green herb is Britain’s pride, our largest UK-listed tech company, still headquartered in Newcastle.  

    The Sage effect in Newcastle…  

    …the ARM effect in Cambridge…  

    …the Admiral Group effect in South Wales… 

    …the Deepmind effect in King’s Cross… 

    …the Skyscanner effect in Scotland…  

    …the THG effect in Manchester.  

    Each of these is the effect of remarkable founding teams, and each is in turn the cause of huge lifts in opportunity in their places. 

    That is why we have announced not just ~£28 billion in AI Growth Zone infrastructure in my first 4 months in this role, but we have announced it in deep areas of strength: 

    …5,000 jobs in the North East… 

    …over 8,000 jobs in North and South Wales… 

    …over 3,000 jobs in Lanarkshire.  

    In this tech revolution, Britain is proving that opportunity spread is opportunity scaled. 

    It is why we are announcing £27 million for TechLocal, spreading skills training and better job placements in tech right across our country… 

    …It is why I whizzed around every nation, 6 cities in just over 24 hours, to see our Regional Tech Boosters building startup communities like this one in each nation of the United Kingdom… 

    …It is why this government has thrown open the doors of opportunity.  

    Harold Wilson did it with the Open University; with that Wilsonian sense of scale, our programme to support AI skills is now targeting 10 million workers – almost a third of our workforce – skilled in AI by 2030. 

    British agency 

    In all this, we have to remember that the opportunity of tech is not just in who builds, but in what we build. 

    That is especially so because Britain has a history of building things that expand agency, extending what we can each do. 

    When Britain set joint stock ownership, we extended the agency of entrepreneurs scaling risk by widening the scope of who could share in that risk; 

    When a Briton submitted the first proposal for a World Wide Web, we extended the agency of people sharing knowledge on an open internet. 

    When Britain led with open data, and with data platforms such as UK Biobank, we extended the agency of citizen engagement and frontier research alike. 

    When tech was starting to become opaque, the reserve of a few, it was Britain that put capability back into people’s hands.  

    Raspberry Pi, born in Cambridge and manufactured in Wales, was designed to be cheap, hackable and understandable. It restored agency — to students, hobbyists, engineers and schools alike.  

    In doing so it made a fully programmable general-purpose computer that gives a student in Nairobi, São Paulo or Manchester the chance to learn on the same platform, with the same tools.  

    In keeping with that British tradition, of tech that extends human agency, I will reaffirm today what we have felt deeply in government: Britain will be the home of global open source AI talent. 

    We have fellowships, with Alan Turing Institute and Meta, to back open source talent in government. We have tools – including via the UK AI Security Institute (AISI) – that build open source infrastructure. 

     The UK, through AISI , has developed the world’s most widely used government-backed evaluation tools. Inspect, InspectSandbox, InspectCyber, and our latest release, ControlArena, are now being used by governments, companies, and academics around the world.  

    These open tools lower the barrier to high‑quality evaluation and make safety science accessible at scale. 

    AI Infrastructure

    If we do this – restore agency in taking risk, in succeeding, in building across our country– we will have done a huge service. 

    We will have also done it by restoring another sort of agency: the agency of the state, our collective vehicle for progress. 

    Perhaps, to some of you, the words agency and state don’t obviously go together. 

    But the reality is that the history of the British state is not one of passivity – those are just the Conservative aberrations, the Reform allegations – the history of the British state is one of agency. 

    Alongside the agency of our modern health service, the foundation for our life sciences sector, we have a proud history of Harold Wilson’s technological agency. In Callaghan’s government, another undersold story of state agency.  

    For it was “a Labour government that backed the creation of Inmos in 1978 with £50 million to establish a UK semiconductor industry. 

    Housed in Bristol and Newport, Inmos went on to make a moonshot product – the revolutionary Transputer, designed for parallel computing decades before multi-core processors became industry standard. 

    Inmos didn’t ultimately survive, sold too early by Thatcher.  

    But the original Inmos facility in Wales then became the seed for Wales’ world-leading compound semiconductor cluster, offering a lifeline to a community amidst declining steel jobs, now offering us the chance at global leadership in that critical industry. 

    When I visited the cluster, I saw an exceptional set of apprenticeships for young women, breaking every stereotype of what British tech could be.  

    Where the last decade of SaaS meant SWE jobs in SWE cities only, that hardware cluster flipped the conventional chains that tie class to earnings, restoring craft, pride in human labour, good pay for a good factory job in a high-tech sector. 

    Workers at Inmos didn’t just seed Wales’ semis cluster.  

    A handful left to join another fledgling British startup.  

    In 1981, British startup Acorn Computers won the hardware contract for BBC Micro, the BBC’s computer literacy programme.  

    Within years, Acorn joined forces to spin out a small, asset-light chip design startup in a turkey barn in Cambridgeshire.  

    Shortening the Acorn RISC Machine, they called the company ARM.  

    Today, the legacy of Inmos, with the boost of the BBC’s procurement, is the world’s premier chip design IP firm, valued at over $100 billion. 

    We are picking up where Labour’s semiconductor legacy left us, and we are spreading it across each part of our startup economy. 

    I am, therefore, delighted to announce today Fractile, is confirming £100 million of new investment in its UK headquarters over the next 3 years, underlining its commitment to building advanced AI hardware capability in Britain.  

    The investment will expand its London and Bristol sites, create a new UK industrial hardware engineering facility, and grow its UK-based team to develop and optimise next-generation system.  

    A British AI inference chip startup, rooted in Inmos and ARM’s legacy, now relentlessly chasing the future. 

    Conclusion

    When you all similarly chase the future, you will find in Britain a government in the service of startup Britain. 

    I mean that in practice, not just in slogan.  

    And because Andy Grove was right – what matters is high output management, not loud  politics. 

    You will have a government that will measure its output in public, with a new AI Opportunities Action Plan dashboard… 

    …A government acting as an investment amplifier, driving tens of billions of investments in tech ventures. Establishing a standalone Sovereign AI unit that will operate at market pace, equipped with £500 million, investing into high-potential British AI start-ups… 

    …A government acting to secure British national security with our National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF)… 

     …And a government here to celebrate your remarkable achievements: ~$24 billion raised in venture in 2025, the best tech ecosystem outside of California… 

    …A government making sure you have the compute to turn AI ideas into economic opportunity.  

    In just the time I have been in post, we have secured over £68 billon in AI infrastructure and research investment; underpinned by significant planning and energy reforms. We are putting over £1 billon of public compute, the AI Research Resource (AIRR), in the service of British startups and research… 

    …When you have built with capital and compute, you will have a government willing to be a first-class customer, putting enterprise sales cycles to shame. With novel chips, we will do so with a £100 million Advance Market Commitment… 

    …In our recent planning and education AI procurements, a government willing to accelerate procurement processes… 

    …A government that knows community – the collective force of our talent – is the biggest determinant of our success. With a dedicated AI stream for global talent, reimbursing visa fees and accelerating visa process, alongside a domestic obsession with support for British kids training in AI… 

    …And, finally, a government that knows the central question for us is one of culture: a culture of relentless agency, shared opportunity and extended human ability, so we meet Morris’ challenge and put machines in service, once again, of British agency.

  • Liz Lloyd – 2026 Speech on Software Security and Cyber Resilience

    Liz Lloyd – 2026 Speech on Software Security and Cyber Resilience

    The speech made by Liz Lloyd, the Minister for the Digital Economy, in London on 15 January 2026.

    On the 19  of September, a ransomware attack hit a major software supplier used by airports across Europe.  

    Overnight, checks and systems failed, flights were delayed, staff were forced back to pen and paper.  

    Thousands of people, families, workers and travellers were left stranded. It wasn’t an attack on any airport directly.  

    It was an attack on a software supplier, a single weak point rippled across a whole sector. 

    Incidents like this are becoming more common.  

    In the UK, 43% of businesses have experienced a cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months. We estimate that cyber breaches cost the UK about £15 billion a year – around 0.5% of GDP.   

    And while the digital economy, especially AI, offers huge opportunities for growth across many sectors in the economy, none of that potential can be realised without confidence.  

    People need to trust the systems they use right now, but they still hesitate.  

    They worry about how their data is handled and whether the technologies they rely on are secure.  

    So software security isn’t just technical. It’s a commercial imperative. And trust is what unlocks growth.  

    Government’s first duty is to keep citizens safe. By securing our technologies, we protect citizens, their businesses, the economy.  

    Strong cyber security and supply chain security underpin enterprise, prosperity, and jobs. 

    That’s why we must do everything we can to protect against these attacks, and support our brilliant tech companies, so they can get on with what they do best.   

    We’re starting in a good place.    

    The UK has some of the strongest cyber defences globally.     

     We have fast-growing clusters of expertise in Cheltenham and Manchester, as well as Belfast and Scotland’s cyber cluster that spreads across several Scottish cities. 

     And our cyber sector is the third largest in the world – achieving double-digit growth, year on year.    

    As a government, we also know we must do our part.     

    Backed by over £210 million, the Government Cyber Action Plan published last week sets out how the government will rise to meet the growing range of online threats.  

    This will improve digital resilience across the public sector.  

    And as we strengthen government’s defences, we are also setting clear expectations for industry.  

    The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will ensure that our critical national infrastructure is protected. 

     In October, we wrote to FTSE 350 companies, urging them to strengthen their defences – adopting things like our ‘Cyber Essentials’ certification.   

    This was followed by a similar letter to entrepreneurs and small businesses, in November, with bespoke advice for smaller teams.    

    We know these things work: organisations that adopt ‘Cyber Essentials’ are 92% less likely to claim on cyber insurance than those who don’t.     

    We have also worked closely with industry to identify the minimum actions to secure the technology that our economy relies on.   

    This includes working hand-in-glove with the NCSC [National Cyber Security Centre], UK companies, and international counterparts to develop policies that set a global standard for technology security.    

    For example, the UK’s AI Cyber Security Code of Practice has been developed into a global standard through the European Telecommunication Standards Institute.    

    This follows in the footsteps of the PSTI ACT: world leading legislation to ensure consumer devices secure by design that came into force in 2024.    

    But we cannot rest where we are.  

    The threat landscape is evolving rapidly, and adversaries are becoming more sophisticated with attacks on software.  

    Software now underpins almost every critical service in our economy, from healthcare, to transport, to national security. So it’s fundamental to our resilience and public trust.  

    To start to address this, the Department [for Science, Innovation and Technology] and the NCSC published the Software Security Code of Practice in May last year. 

    This Code outlines the minimum actions that software suppliers should take to ensure a baseline level of security across the software market. 

    But communicating those expectations is just the first step.  

    We now need to ensure that these actions are embedded in UK supply chains to provide businesses with confidence in the technologies they need to operate and to grow.  

    Currently, just 21% of organisations say they think about cyber security when buying software.   

    So it’s time to address this.     

    The question is how, exactly, we do this.    

    On one side, there are those who push for new regulation, and stronger government oversight.    

    On the other, there are those who say ‘do nothing’, businesses will get there themselves – just wait it out.     

    But I believe we can be more ambitious than that.    

    The UK is home to some of the best software firms anywhere in the world, and we’re lucky to have great examples here in this room today.   

    As well as the brilliant international firms who invest here, set up offices here, and make the UK their home.    

    I believe we need to learn from these companies – to find the ones who are leading the way and celebrate them, as role models.    

    The firms whose software is developed with security, top of mind.   

    Who appoint dedicated cyber experts.    

    Who have brilliant communication between buyer and seller.   

    Who offer best-in-class training to their workforce.    

     And whose leaders take safety seriously – with accountability at the very top.    

     That is what a true pioneer looks like.    

     And we see the same forward-thinking security posture throughout supply chains.    

    The UK hosts a burgeoning ecosystem of supply chain security experts. 

    This includes buyers leading the way in how they manage risks in their supply chains, and cyber security experts offering their services and knowledge to disseminate crucial cyber security capabilities.    

    Now we must learn from them and spread these habits to as many organisations as possible.    

    So today I am very proud to announce the UK’s new Software Security Ambassador Scheme, a group of leaders – 13 companies, in total – who are making a public commitment to champion secure software and to be role models for the UK government’s Software Security Code of Practice.  

    This Code has been written in partnership with industry and with cyber experts, at every step, including the National Cyber Security Centre.    

    And our national ambassadors span the whole software field – from vendors…   

    …Sage, Cisco, and Palo Alto Networks, Hexiosec, Zaizi and Nexor…   

    …to buyers – like Lloyds, and Santander…     

    …to expert advisors – Accenture, NCC Group, ISACA, ISC2, and Salus Cyber.    

    Now, we hope you will use your position as industry leaders, and first adopters, to spark a change in the sector more widely.    

     We’ve seen how effective this model can be.    

     A voluntary code of practice is a tried-and-true way of setting a professional standard.  

    Look at the World Health Organization’s code of practice for hand hygiene.  First introduced in 2009, the code has become a global benchmark despite not being enforced by law, and has helped to significantly reduce infection rates as hospitals can draw on a single, definitive source of best practice in one place.    

    That’s exactly what we want the Software Security Code of Practice to become.  

    Every sector that depends on software, a single trusted reference point that lifts standards across the whole economy. 

    Our Software Security Code of Practice sets out 14 principles, and clear expectations for how software should be secured in our supply chains to build a common understanding between vendors and buyers of what level of security a software supplier should be responsible for.   

    I’m delighted to say it’s already being used in the public sector, by the NHS.    

    So our health service can help to lead by example too.    

    If we get it right, this could be a real moment of achievement.    

    Great UK industry, paving the way.    

    Modelling safe, secure tech for the rest of the market.    

    And perhaps the start of a new, international benchmark too.    

    To protect our country from attacks.    

     Back British growth and prosperity.    

     And create a better future for all of us, starting here today.     

     Thank you all.

  • Liz Kendall – 2026 Statement on Grok’s Image Generation

    Liz Kendall – 2026 Statement on Grok’s Image Generation

    The statement made by Liz Kendall, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on 9 January 2026.

    Sexually manipulating images of women and children is despicable and abhorrent. It is an insult and totally unacceptable for Grok to still allow this if you’re willing to pay for it. I expect Ofcom to use the full legal powers Parliament has given them.

    I, and more importantly the public – would expect to see Ofcom update on next steps in days not weeks.

    I would remind xAI that the Online Safety Act Includes the power to block services from being accessed in the UK, if they refuse to comply with UK law. If Ofcom decide to use those powers they will have our full support.

    We will be banning nudification apps in the Crime and Policing Bill which is in parliament now.

    We are in the coming weeks bringing in to force powers to criminalise the creation of intimate images without consent.

    I expect all platforms to abide by Ofcom’s new Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) guidance and if they do not, I am prepared to go further.

    We are as determined to ensure women and girls are safe online as we are to ensure they are safe in the real world. No excuses.

  • Ian Murray – 2026 Statement on the Government Cyber Action Plan

    Ian Murray – 2026 Statement on the Government Cyber Action Plan

    The statement made by Ian Murray, the Minister for Digital Government and Data, in the House of Commons on 6 January 2026.

    Today I am publishing the Government cyber action plan, which sets out how we will transform cyber-security and resilience across Government and the public sector.

    Public incidents demonstrate the devastating real-world consequences of inadequate cyber resilience. The recent incident affecting the Legal Aid Agency compromised personal data and impacted the organisation’s ability to digitally process legal aid applications and bills.

    Similarly, the attack on Synnovis—a supplier of pathology services to the NHS—caused delays to over 11,000 outpatient and elective procedure appointments and, tragically, contributed to the death of a patient.

    This reality underscores the fact that cyber-security is not a luxury; it is a fundamental component of business continuity, and all organisations should take steps to defend themselves.

    Digitisation offers substantial opportunities to transform lives, deliver better public services, and drive economic growth and digital government. By investing in secure and resilient foundations, we do more than protect and transform public services; we drive innovation and growth within the UK’s cyber-security sector.

    This Government have taken important steps in understanding and mitigating cyber risk across Government and the public sector. The Government Cyber Co-ordination Centre, also known as GC3, enables us to respond as one Government to cyber incidents, threats and vulnerabilities. Our secure-by-design approach enables us to “fix forward”, ensuring future digital services are designed to achieve cyber-security resilience outcomes. GovAssure, our cyber assurance process now entering its third year of operations, offers an unprecedented picture of current resilience levels and the fundamental blockers to progress.

    However, the evidence is clear: we must do far more to address the persistent threat. We must move from a model where individual organisations act alone to one where the Government truly defend as one.Toggle showing location ofColumn 8WS

    Today’s Government cyber action plan sets out a radically new model for how Government will operate differently to deliver this necessary transformation. It is backed by investment of over £210 million, led by the Government cyber unit within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The unit is taking decisive action to rapidly address the recommendations from both the National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Committee by holding Departments to account for their cyber-security and resilience risks, as well as providing them with more direct support and services, and co-ordinating response to fast-moving incidents.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2025 Speech on Cyber Threats

    Dan Jarvis – 2025 Speech on Cyber Threats

    The speech made by Dan Jarvis, the Security Minister, in London on 24 November 2025.

    It’s great to be here with you all today. 

    I’m also really pleased that the invitation for today’s conference actually reached you, and didn’t fall into your email’s junk folder. 

    But if you are here because you picked up this invitation in your spam, I just want to be crystal clear – we are not giving away a free Lamborghini at today’s event.

    Hopefully everybody is connected to the wifi, and if you’re not, the password is very simple to remember.

    It’s the full text of the Magna Carta in Latin.

    Anyway, it’s great to be able to welcome you all to the House of Commons. 

    But at first glance, it may seem like Parliament and Cyber are two mutually exclusive concepts. 

    Our democracy has – historically – been very wary of new technologies.

    There was a Parliament Technology Gap from when an innovation was created until it was introduced in Parliament. 

    First, the printing press.

    From the 1480s, printing became more common in this country. Thomas Hansard began printing Parliament’s debates independently in 1811 and it took a select committee in 1909 to adopt Hansard’s innovation as a legitimate part of their service. 

    A Parliament Technology Gap of about 400 years. Not a great start.  Next, broadcast cameras and microphones, which came into use in the early 1900s.

    Initially, the BBC couldn’t broadcast anything said in either House until two weeks after it had been discussed.  But eventually, cameras entered Parliament by 1989. A Parliament Technology Gap of about 90 years – so something of an improvement.  

    Finally, the personal computer and the internet – which became commonplace from the late 1970s. Parliament was again slow to take up the benefits of IT. 

    One MP, during a debate in 1988, said “the technological revolution – of which we are so proud in Britain – seems to have passed Westminster by”.

    From 1994, every MP with a personal computer was given internet access. A Technology Gap of only 20 years – the best yet. 

    And what about the technology of the future?

    Now, much like Steve Jobs and black rollnecks, Parliament and tech are now becoming inseparable.

    Parliament is more proactive. Its ‘Information and Technology Strategy’ faces the future stating how Parliament must continually adapt to the evolving landscape. 

    This is exactly the right approach to take. 

    The pace of change is only accelerating and the speed in which new technology is introduced and adopted is becoming shorter and shorter. So, we must protect ourselves against the threats of tomorrow. 

    Because cyber-attacks taking place across the world are only getting worse.

    If cybercrime were a national economy, it would be the third largest in the world.

    Microsoft’s Digital Defence Report said that – by 2027 – scams are expected to cost the world $27 trillion a year.

    As a joint Minister between the Cabinet Office and the Home Office, I have heard from my policing colleagues about the sometimes unseen cyber offending. Some that are central to truly awful online crimes.

    Like those that hack into accounts to steal and then trade intimate images mostly of women and children. 

    Or the community groups that blur boundaries between cyber and violence in the most despicable way. 

    These are growing trends and of deep concern, all of which show that our collective exposure to serious impacts is growing at an unprecedented pace.

    This is especially true when it comes to our world-leading business sector. It is essential for every organisation to operate in a way that minimises the risks of a cyber incident.

    The mindset for businesses should not be ‘if’ we get attacked but ‘when’ we get attacked. That means our cyber defences and technical resilience must evolve to cope with the threat.

    Which is why we’re doing more than ever before to keep our businesses and society safe from cyberattacks and cybercrime. 

    And we’re doing that through the building we’re all in today.

    Just a couple of weeks ago, the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill was introduced to Parliament.

    It will boost cyber protections for the services that people and businesses rely on every day. And it will ensure any breaches in cyber security are dealt with quickly.

    This is a vital piece of work, as is our Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan.

    Because we know that Parliament is also a target, which is why we are taking this decisive action against foreign interference and espionage operations.

    The Action Plan will strengthen our legislation to disrupt the threat, help those who work in politics to recognise, resist and report the threat, and help break down the ecosystem of proxy organisations used by foreign powers to target our democratic institutions.

    We’re also giving more direct support to businesses to make sure they remain safe.

    The new tools we have created through the National Cyber Security Centre will help every kind of business, from the SME with a handful of employees, to larger corporations with hundreds of staff. 

    Our ‘Cyber Action Toolkit’ that we launched last month is designed to empower sole traders and small businesses to take their first steps toward cyber protection. 

    Our ‘Cyber Essentials’ certification proves your organisation is protected against common cyber threats.

    And over 13,000 organisations are part of the free ‘Early Warning’ service, giving them exclusive access to information on potential cyber-attacks. 

    All of this work will be enhanced next year when we publish the new National Cyber Action Plan. 

    It will outline how we will continue to build resilience and combat the technological threats facing us to secure economic growth.

    And, of course, it’s vital that the police, National Crime Agency, and our security services continue to work together so we can ruthlessly pursue and disrupt these cyber threats. 

    These criminals need to know we will use all of the tools at our disposal to counter their activity.

    We must support our businesses in any way we can. But businesses cannot be protected by the government alone. 

    Which is why last month, a letter was sent to the CEOs of the FTSE 350 companies that implored those business leaders to recognise the threat that is facing them.

    Now, today I’m talking to some great leaders from our tech sector – a sector that knows the importance behind rigorous security. 

    And I believe we are staring at a potential win-win situation for us if our business leaders increase their cyber security, working alongside the innovative UK cyber industry that brings in over £13billion in revenue. 

    Because this should be a priority for everyone driven at board-level, and I implore any business leader who thinks they may be exempt from gripping cyber risks to think again.

    Perhaps the Parliament of the past was right. 

    They could more or less evade utilising technology and, by doing so, they could keep their discussions mostly private and keep the country running. 

    That is not an option open to any of us today. Technology enhances everything we do. 

    It keeps our democracy transparent, it keeps our businesses successful, it keeps people connected and safe. 

    But this interconnection between technology and society can be exploited by those who seek to cause us harm.

    Many of you in this room lead by example.

    Our tech sector is one of the most crucial chips in the economy’s motherboard. One that takes its cyber security seriously.

    I hope that, through Government support and their own initiative, that the rest of our business leaders follow in your footsteps. 

    Thank you very much.

  • Liz Lloyd – 2025 Speech at TechUK Cyber Security Event

    Liz Lloyd – 2025 Speech at TechUK Cyber Security Event

    The speech made by Liz Lloyd, the Minister for the Digital Economy, at One Great George Street in London on 16 October 2025.

    It’s a real pleasure to be here with you tonight.

    And thank you Nils for my introduction – and for remembering my very long title.

    It’s a special moment for me personally. It’s my first public speech on cyber security since being appointed as Minister for the Digital Economy, and I can’t think of a better place to start than with you: the people at the heart of keeping our digital economy safe, resilient and thriving. 

    As you know, cyber security is not just a technical issue. It’s an enabler of growth and innovation. Firms with good cyber security in place can be confident of a stable environment under which they can invest and develop.  

    More widely, cyber security underpins everything we want to achieve in science, technology and innovation. Whether it’s AI, quantum, semiconductors or smart infrastructure – none of it works without trust, and trust depends on security. 

    UK cyber security sector

    So let me begin by reiterating the government’s unwavering support for the UK’s cyber security sector. 

    This sector is a crucial element in our Industrial Strategy. It’s a frontier industry – one that not only protects our national interests but drives economic growth, creates high-value jobs, and strengthens our global standing.  

    The UK cyber sector now generates over £13 billion in revenue per year and directly supports more than 67,000 jobs across 2,000 companies. In total, 143,000 people are employed in cyber security jobs across the economy. That’s a remarkable achievement – and it’s thanks to everyone in this room. 

    But we know there’s more to do. That’s why we commissioned the Cyber Growth Action Plan earlier this year – addressing the question of what government and industry need to do in the future to drive further growth.

    The plan sets out 9 recommendations across 3 pillars of culture, leadership and place. It calls for government to help stimulate informed demand for cyber security, clearer expectations for cyber risk reporting, and developing regional areas of cyber strength and specialisation. 

    It’s about helping winners grow, stimulating demand, and building public understanding of cyber security’s role in national resilience.  

    We’ll be responding to the action plan in due course, including working with our forums – such as the Cyber Growth Partnership – to discuss the recommendations and their implementation.  

    But in the meantime I wanted to touch on the other work my department has been driving forward across the sector, to help support your businesses to thrive.   

    We’re continuing to invest in programmes that support innovation. Our Cyber Runway programme – the UK’s largest cyber accelerator – is helping startups and scaleups access funding, develop products and expand internationally.  

    We recently secured a further £6 million pounds to support cyber startups by building on the Cyber Runway accelerator. 

    Then there’s CyberASAP – our academic startup accelerator – which has already created 34 spinouts, 76 new jobs and generated over £40 million pounds in investment. These programmes are helping turn pioneering ideas into commercial success. 

    As part of the Industrial Strategy we secured an additional £10 million pounds to support commercialisation of cyber research through the CyberASAP programme. 

    Driving growth is not just the role of government. You all have a role and I know that many successful cyber founders are now supporting the next generation of startups.  

    Last week an industry led group started to build on this, bringing Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) from across all sectors of the economy into the same room as cyber startups to build collaboration through design partnerships. We will do everything we can to support this drive to find the next UK cyber unicorn. 

    And we hear from you that skills is a huge issue.  Tonight, I want to highlight a new flagship initiative: TechFirst. 

    Announced by the Prime Minister at London Tech Week back in June, TechFirst is a £187 million programme to build a sustainable domestic pipeline of tech talent.  

    It will reach one million young people with foundational skills in AI and cyber, support over 4,000 graduates and researchers, and connect skilled people with real job opportunities across the UK. 

    TechFirst builds on the success of our existing CyberFirst programme and will be delivered in partnership with industry. So I want to encourage you – the sector – to get involved.  

    Your involvement could include offering work experience, mentoring, training places, or helping to shape local delivery. Whatever it is, your support will be vital. Together, we can inspire the next generation and ensure that talent is never a barrier to growth. 

    Resilience and the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill

    Of course, we must also be honest about the threats we face. 

    Recent incidents – at Jaguar Land Rover, Co-op and M&S – have shown how disruptive and damaging cyber attacks can be. They’ve affected supply chains, halted operations, and put livelihoods at risk. Costs have run into hundreds of millions of pounds. These events are a stark reminder that resilience is not optional – it’s essential. 

    That is why the government this week wrote to the UK’s leading companies asking them to make cyber security a board level responsibility and to make full use of government support and guidance.    

    For the most critical and essential parts of our economy, we are going further by introducing the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. 

    This legislation will expand the scope of our existing cyber regulations to cover more critical services. This includes bringing managed service providers and critical suppliers into scope. 

    The Bill will also strengthen the powers of regulators, and give government the tools to respond quickly to emerging threats. It’s a proportionate but decisive step to not only protect the critical services on which we all rely, but also strengthen cyber resilience across the UK economy. 

    The Bill will be introduced as soon as Parliamentary time allows. It has been developed working closely with regulators, industry and many of those who are here tonight.  

    I want to thank techUK for your close engagement with us as we’ve developed the Bill. We’ve really valued your feedback. 

    I want to assure you there will many opportunities to feed into our plans for implementation and there will be suitable transition periods for businesses to reflect the changes we are bringing forward. So please do continue to share your feedback – it is incredibly valuable. 

    This legislation to improve cyber resilience is focused on the most critical services. The services the public rely on to go about their normal lives – to switch on lights, turn on the tap to safe water, and know the NHS is there to support them.   

    However, the vast majority of UK businesses and organisations will not be covered by the Cyber Bill because we do not think it would be proportionate. The IT and services they rely on will become more resilient as a result of the Bill – and the support and free advice we have made available ensures firms are on a stronger footing to safeguard themselves and deal with disruption.  

    We are continuing to work with industry to help drive action and increase adoption of cyber security measures.  

    I want to work with you all to understand how we can best help businesses take up the guidance and tools the government has created.  

    For example, we know the Cyber Essentials scheme is highly effective. Organisations with a Cyber Essentials certificate are 92% less likely to make claim on their cyber insurance than those without. We’re working hard to drive adoption of Cyber Essentials, but how can we do it better? 

    Similarly, we published a Cyber Governance Code of Practice earlier this year. This helps Boards and Directors effectively manage cyber risks in their businesses – and it comes with free training from the National Cyber Security Centre. All larger organisations should be using this.  

    How will we make sure that happens – redouble our efforts? 

    New National Cyber Strategy

    Many of the answers will be set out in a National Cyber Strategy, which we’re in the process of refreshing. 

    The new strategy will reflect the evolving threat landscape and the opportunities of emerging technologies. It will focus on resilience and growth, and DSIT will play a leading role in shaping its direction. We’re working across Whitehall and with industry to ensure it delivers real outcomes and reflects the strengths of our cyber ecosystem.  

    Thank you again to everyone who has been involved.   

    Conclusion

    So, to sum up: 

    We’re backing the cyber sector – because it’s vital to our economy and our national security. 

    We’re investing in growth, innovation and talent – because a strong cyber ecosystem underpins everything we do.  

    And we’re strengthening our cyber defences – because it’s what we need to do to keep the public and the economy safe, and harness the opportunity of technology and digital advances on AI.  

    Finally, we’re asking you to continue working with us – because cyber security is a team sport. You can help us shape the future, support young people, and build a cyber sector that is secure, inclusive and built to last. 

    Thank you for everything you do. Have a great evening – and I look forward to working with you.