Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Department makes an assessment of the working practices of overseas companies from which the Government procures imported telecommunications infrastructure and technology.

The Government conducted a comprehensive, evidence-based review of the Telecoms Supply Chain to ensure the security and resilience of 5G in the UK. The Review was published in July 2019 and the final conclusions of the Review in relation to high risk vendors were announced in January 2020. The Review was informed by expert technical advice from the NCSC, economic analysis and discussions with industry and UK’s international partners.

The conclusions from the Review have outlined the Government’s three priorities for the future of telecommunications: stronger cyber security practices; greater resilience in telecoms network; and diversity in the market.

The Government has also set out its expectations of businesses in the UK National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights and continues to encourage all British businesses to undertake appropriate levels of due diligence before deciding to do business or invest in foreign companies. The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights advises UK companies to respect human rights wherever they operate including adopting appropriate due diligence policies to identify, prevent and mitigate human rights risks, and commit to monitoring and evaluating implementation.