Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the number of its business-critical systems that are dependent on software licensed from a single supplier.

The Department relies on a range of business-critical software licences across its operations. Sourcing decisions and continuity arrangements are managed at system and contract level, rather than through a single dependency register. Prior to appointing suppliers, either through a GCA framework or procurement process in line with Procurement Act 2023, depending on the estimated contract value relevant assessment of suppliers in relation to their financial strengths and credit ratings are undertaken; regardless of the contract value suppliers are expected to have Cyber Essential certificate.