For over a decade, the UK has pursued an ambitious national cyber approach. We are an established global leader in cyber, and recognise the increasingly important role that this domain plays in our future security and prosperity.
That’s why the Government’s new National Cyber Strategy is important as it builds on our leading position to strengthen our cyber security, keep us ahead of our adversaries in cyberspace, and shape tomorrow’s technologies so they are safe, secure and open.
This is particularly relevant here in Gloucestershire, with GCHQ and related industry partners employing many across the county and here in the Forest too – it’s something we’re very good at.
The new strategy takes its lead from the Integrated Review of Defence, Security and Foreign Policy in setting out a strong vision for the next decade. The UK will be a leading responsible and democratic cyber power, able to protect and promote our interests in and through cyberspace in support of national goals.
It broadens the way that we think about cyber to go beyond cyber security and consider the full range of the UK’s cyber capabilities, giving greater weight to shaping the underpinning technologies and the international environment. It also takes a whole of society approach to our cyber goals, integrating all the levers of Government, industry and academia in partnership, drawing on expertise from all parts of the UK.
Protecting UK citizens and businesses remains at the heart of the Government’s approach. To do this, more is being invested more in our law enforcement response to cyber criminals; our response to the most serious threats with the National Cyber Force is being stepped up; and more responsibility will be placed on manufacturers, retailers, service providers and the public sector to raise cyber security standards, including through supply chains.
Attention now turns to this strategy’s implementation. In the Autumn spending review, Parliament agreed a £2.6 billion investment in cyber and legacy IT. This is in addition to significant investment in the National Cyber Force. We are investing this money in the adaptation, innovation and investment that is required to maintain our competitive edge, including funding skills, jobs and cyber initiatives outside London.