Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help protect small and medium enterprises from cybersecurity threats in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

The cyber security of the UK is a priority for the Government. The Government offers free guidance, tools and training to help businesses improve their cyber resilience. This includes a new Cyber Governance Code of Practice to help boards and directors manage digital risks, and the Cyber Essentials scheme which is highly effective in protecting businesses against cyber attacks. This year the Government will introduce the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to improve UK cyber defences and better secure our essential services and the IT infrastructure they rely upon. The PSTI Act, along with codes of practice on cyber security of AI, software and apps are helping protect organisations at scale by making technology in the UK secure by design.

In Lancashire, the Cyber Resilience Centre for the North West is part of a nationwide police-led collaboration helping strengthen cyber resilience in small and medium-sized businesses. The Government’s Stop! Think Fraud campaign provides the public and small businesses with advice on how to prevent fraud and cyber crime.