Question

To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether Huawei equipment is used in the parliamentary (a) telecoms and communications network and (b) security and surveillance network.

No Huawei equipment is used in the parliamentary telecoms, communications, security or surveillance networks.

The only use of Huawei kit is for mobile cellular enhancement. Firstly, this is in devices (commonly referenced as MiFi devices) that are used to boost access to the parliamentary mobile phone provider’s network (O2) where signal strength is problematic. The MiFi devices do not connect to the Parliamentary network and should be viewed as extensions to the O2 mobile phone network. This equipment is branded O2 rather than Huawei.

Secondly, there already is, and there will be some additional, Huawei equipment installed by the four Mobile Network Operators to provide cellular signal enhancement in Parliament.

Huawei components are used by all the major mobile telephony networks in the UK. Parliament has no evidence on which to base a recommendation either in favour of or against the use of Huawei kit on such networks. The risk of mobile phone telecommunications networks use of Huawei kit is managed at a national level by the National Cyber Security Centre, Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure and the private sector, and Parliament takes its lead from the national stance on the risks present from its use.