Jaguar Land Rover Cyberattack

Lord Grade of Yarmouth Excerpts

Tuesday 14th October 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Leong (Lab)]

The noble Earl makes an interesting point that I mentioned earlier. Companies using outdated systems should consider whether that is still appropriate. To do so, I urge all companies to conduct Cyber Essentials certification. Once they have the certification, they can ensure that their customers and whoever they do business with are protected against cyberattacks.

[Lord Grade of Yarmouth (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, perhaps I might pose a somewhat more prosaic but urgent question. The crisis at Jaguar Land Rover had immediate and predictable consequences for the supply chain. The immediate call was for the taxpayer to stand in. Do the Government have a view about whether the banks should play their part in supporting good customers such as the supply chain of Jaguar Land Rover, which has a very good customer in Jaguar Land Rover? The crisis was clearly going to reach an end. I do not understand why the banks do not stand by. Otherwise, what are they for?

[Lord Leong (Lab)]

Noble Lords will know that there are certain commercial aspects of Jaguar Land Rover that I cannot possibly comment on. However, that said, the Government have published a Written Statement today stating that we will guarantee JLR £1.5 billion to ensure that it has sufficient cash reserves to pay its supply chain creditors. It will work its way through the whole system, and we hope that, eventually, most supply chain creditors will be paid accordingly.