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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government plans to take to (a) protect national telecoms security and (b) meet its 5G rollout targets.

The Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review in July 2018 set out the Government’s strategy for delivering 5G ambitions. The ambitions on 5G are for the UK to become a world leader in the technology and for the majority of the population to have access to a 5G signal by 2027.

Furthermore, DCMS is leading a cross-government review into the supply chain arrangements for the UK’s telecoms infrastructure. The terms of reference are available here: (Https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/telecoms-supply-chain-review-terms-of-reference). The Review includes consideration of the full UK market position, including the resilience and security standards of equipment for 5G and will report in due course.

DCMS and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) actively manage the potential risks to the UK telecoms industry, and security is part of the 5G Testbeds and Trials programme.