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To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of representations from nuclear test veterans involved in intelligence gathering of foreign nations' atmospheric nuclear tests, what progress they have made in extending the eligibility criteria for the Nuclear Test Medal to include those from 543 Squadron and 27 Squadron who recovered, washed, decontaminated,...
To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of representations from nuclear test veterans involved in intelligence gathering of foreign nations' atmospheric nuclear tests, what progress they have made in extending the eligibility criteria for the Nuclear Test Medal to include those from 543 Squadron and 27 Squadron who recovered, washed, decontaminated,...
Nuclear Test Medal (NTM) eligibility has been broadened to include UK personnel who deployed in support of United States atmospheric nuclear tests, and UK personnel who were deployed from the UK in support of operations to monitor atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by France and China up to 1974 and 1980 respectively.
Ministry of Defence officials will continue to keep the eligibility criteria under review to ensure that they are as comprehensive and inclusive as they can be given the current boundaries. There are no current plans to expand the criteria to include personnel who did not deploy from the UK in support of either UK or other nations atmospheric testing.
Any formal proposal for the expansion of the NTM eligibility criteria would need to be endorsed by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (HD Committee) and approved by His Majesty The King.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of investing in alternative and supplementary diagnostic methods for bovine TB, as a means of reducing reliance on the single intradermal comparative cervical tuberculin (SICCT) skin test; and...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of investing in alternative and supplementary diagnostic methods for bovine TB, as a means of reducing reliance on the single intradermal comparative cervical tuberculin (SICCT) skin test; and...
The SICCT test is the internationally accepted standard for detecting TB infected cattle and is the cornerstone of bovine TB control in Great Britain. This is often supplemented in TB breakdown herds by the interferon-gamma and TB antibody blood tests.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency supports consistency in the administration and interpretation of the SICCT test through standardised instructions, training and competency requirements, regular revalidation, and quality assurance.
The Government funds research into improved TB diagnostics, including jointly funded research with the Welsh and Scottish Governments exploring use of constant-pressure callipers to improve measurement consistency.
The recommended bovine TB control strategy for England proposes greater flexibility for privately funded supplementary testing. The Government will respond in due course.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of use of ionophores in the production of imported poultry, pig, cattle and fish products; what limits are set on residues; and what tests are carried out to check for residue or antimicrobial resistance.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of use of ionophores in the production of imported poultry, pig, cattle and fish products; what limits are set on residues; and what tests are carried out to check for residue or antimicrobial resistance.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2026 to question 33724 on Russia: Telecommunications cables, what progress he has made on increasing the testing of uncrewed underwater vehicles to a) protect UK critical national infrastructure and b) deter undersea threats.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2026 to question 33724 on Russia: Telecommunications cables, what progress he has made on increasing the testing of uncrewed underwater vehicles to a) protect UK critical national infrastructure and b) deter undersea threats.
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to make random drug testing mandatory for the drivers of (1) taxi and private hire vehicles, (2) commercial vehicles, and (3) buses and coaches, in light of the number of serious accidents caused by those driving under the influence of drugs.
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to make random drug testing mandatory for the drivers of (1) taxi and private hire vehicles, (2) commercial vehicles, and (3) buses and coaches, in light of the number of serious accidents caused by those driving under the influence of drugs.
The Government consulted on proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences between January and May 2026 and is currently analysing the responses received.
The consultation sought views on a range of drink- and drug-driving measures, including whether random breath testing powers, mirroring those in Northern Ireland, should be introduced in England and Wales. It did not specifically consult on making random drug testing mandatory for drivers of taxis and private hire vehicles, commercial vehicles, or buses and coaches.
The Government keeps all road safety policies under review and will continue to consider evidence on measures to improve road safety.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Civil Aviation Authority on the adequacy and testing of NATS contingency arrangements for a failure of its flight processing systems.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Civil Aviation Authority on the adequacy and testing of NATS contingency arrangements for a failure of its flight processing systems.
The Secretary of State has commissioned the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to lead an independent investigation of the NATS outage on 8 September, which will also consider the technical issue that occurred in Prestwick on 21 September. The review will examine the causes of the incidents, broader questions relating to NATS' resilience, capital investment and modernisation plans, helping to identify any lessons needed to strengthen the resilience of the UK air traffic management system.
The Department also receives regular updates from NATS on the modernisation of its air traffic control systems, with technical changes closely monitored and overseen by the CAA as the independent regulator.
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that access to NHS sight tests under the general ophthalmic services arrangements remain nationally standardised and not subject to local variation.
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that access to NHS sight tests under the general ophthalmic services arrangements remain nationally standardised and not subject to local variation.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and which food supplements have been tested by the Food Standards Agency in each of the last three a) calendar and b) financial years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and which food supplements have been tested by the Food Standards Agency in each of the last three a) calendar and b) financial years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what testing for the presence of campylo bacteria the Environment Agency carries out in (a) river and (b) sea water in Christchurch; and when the last positive test was.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what testing for the presence of campylo bacteria the Environment Agency carries out in (a) river and (b) sea water in Christchurch; and when the last positive test was.
The Environment Agency (EA) routinely tests for E. coli and intestinal enterococci as indicators of faecal pollution in designated bathing waters under the Bathing Water Regulations but does not test for Campylobacter.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to increase the uptake of free eye tests.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to increase the uptake of free eye tests.
Free National Health Service sight tests are available to eligible groups in England. The NHS website provides information on eligibility and the importance of regular sight tests. Integrated care boards commission these services and would be responsible for considering how to address any inequalities in access.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the MOT test in identifying vehicles that are louder than the law allows.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the MOT test in identifying vehicles that are louder than the law allows.
Excessive exhaust noise is assessed during the MOT test and vehicles can fail where the tester judges the noise to be unreasonably above that expected from a similar vehicle with a standard silencer. The Department keeps the MOT under review but recognises the practical challenges associated with introducing objective noise measurement in MOT stations.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a financial compensation scheme for (a) nuclear test veterans present during the nuclear testing programme from 1952 to 1967 and (b) their families.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a financial compensation scheme for (a) nuclear test veterans present during the nuclear testing programme from 1952 to 1967 and (b) their families.
There is no specific compensation scheme for either Nuclear Test Veterans or their families. Any veteran, including those of the nuclear tests, who believes they have suffered ill-health due to service has the right to apply for no-fault compensation under the War Pension Scheme if they served before 6 April 2005. War pensions are payable in respect of illness or injury as a result of service in the Armed Forces, with the benefit of reasonable doubt always given to the claimant. Decisions are medically certified and follow consideration of available service and medical evidence and carry full rights of appeal to an independent tribunal.
I have met with members of the Nuclear Test Veteran community on several occasions to hear their concerns and support constructive engagement with Government. The Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister have also recently met with representatives of the community, demonstrating the importance of the issues raised and the Government’s commitment to listening to veterans and their families.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment she has made of the risk that voluntary pre-deployment access will not be granted for open-weight models developed outside United Kingdom; and what mitigations are in place.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment she has made of the risk that voluntary pre-deployment access will not be granted for open-weight models developed outside United Kingdom; and what mitigations are in place.
The AI Security Institute tests the most capable AI models wherever they are developed. As I set out in my speech on 12 October, the Government has been working closely with the US government and frontier labs to ensure the Institute keeps access to the most powerful AI models before they are released.
The Institute tests both closed- and open-weight models. On 23 July the Institute and US Center for Advancing Innovation and Standards for Super Intelligence (CAISSI) published a joint evaluation of Kimi K3, an open-weight Chinese model developed by Moonshot AI.
Pre-release testing is a core part of the Institute's work to inform Government, but its remit extends well beyond this. Its researchers work on projects drawing on both pre-release and post-release testing across chemical and biological risks, human influence and loss of control. This research helps the UK and our partners make real-world improvements to AI security, for example by advancing the science of evaluations and AI monitorability.
The Institute will continue to build a scientific understanding of the risks posed by the most advanced AI systems, and to develop technical mitigations against them, so that policy decisions are grounded in evidence.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library of the House of Commons a copy of the seven page report of recommendations produced as a result of his department's recent review of nuclear test veteran historical record, which was published in July.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library of the House of Commons a copy of the seven page report of recommendations produced as a result of his department's recent review of nuclear test veteran historical record, which was published in July.
The reports of the records exercise were published on 15 July 2026. The exercise was a factual study, the reports of which did not make recommendations. Ministers are considering any next steps on matters concerning nuclear test veterans, taking into account representations made by the community. The House will be updated as and when any further decisions are made.
There is much interest from aerospace companies in the 1950s Blue Streak launch facilities at RAF Spadeadam in my constituency. What assessment has been made of the potential of UK sites for developing heavy-lift rocket testing in the UK, and will the Minister meet me to discuss the potential of Spadeadam?
There is much interest from aerospace companies in the 1950s Blue Streak launch facilities at RAF Spadeadam in my constituency. What assessment has been made of the potential of UK sites for developing heavy-lift rocket testing in the UK, and will the Minister meet me to discuss the potential of Spadeadam?
Spadeadam is, of course, another amazing facility that I have visited in recent years. My hon. Friend is quite right: there is the potential there, and I agree that a full assessment of that potential must be made, alongside that of our other launch facility in the Shetland Islands.
Spadeadam is, of course, another amazing facility that I have visited in recent years. My hon. Friend is quite right: there is the potential there, and I agree that a full assessment of that potential must be made, alongside that of our other launch facility in the Shetland Islands.
Spadeadam is, of course, another amazing facility that I have visited in recent years. My hon. Friend is quite right: there is the potential there, and I agree that a full assessment of that potential must be made, alongside that of our other launch facility in the Shetland Islands.
There is much interest from aerospace companies in the 1950s Blue Streak launch facilities at RAF Spadeadam in my constituency. What assessment has been made of the potential of UK sites for developing heavy-lift rocket testing in the UK, and will the Minister meet me to discuss the potential of Spadeadam?
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2026 to Question 26159 on Speed Limits: Cameras, on what date testing of the Home Office-approved solution commenced; when she expects that testing to conclude; and when she expects implementation across all affected...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2026 to Question 26159 on Speed Limits: Cameras, on what date testing of the Home Office-approved solution commenced; when she expects that testing to conclude; and when she expects implementation across all affected...
The Department first engaged with National Highways in November 2025, when a solution was brought to our attention. Since then, we have been working closely with them to undertake the necessary technical work in respect of the camera.
Examination of technical issues continues. We are working at pace and want to conclude this at the earliest possible opportunity, acknowledging that robust information is needed to support an assessment of the effectiveness of the solution.
Once concluded satisfactorily, National Highways will work with police partners, via the National Police Chiefs’ Council to re-commence enforcement of all affected operational cameras on the road network as quickly as possible.
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the underlying tests for all 4,658 surface water bodies in England meet the requirement for good ecological status.
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the underlying tests for all 4,658 surface water bodies in England meet the requirement for good ecological status.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has considered introducing a mandatory vehicle noise test as part of the MOT; and what steps she is taking to tackle excessive vehicle noise.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has considered introducing a mandatory vehicle noise test as part of the MOT; and what steps she is taking to tackle excessive vehicle noise.
Excessive exhaust noise is already assessed as part of the MOT. Testers must fail a vehicle where its exhaust noise is unreasonably above the level expected from a similar vehicle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition. The Department keeps the content of the MOT under review, but there are practical challenges in introducing an objective noise measurement test in MOT stations. To tackle excessive vehicle noise, the Department continues to work with enforcement partners and supports action under existing legislation against vehicles that do not comply with noise requirements.
Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.
Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.
My Lords, the Committee will also consider the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, otherwise known as the second phase of Awaab’s law. This Government are determined to drive a lasting change in the safety and quality of social housing. These draft regulations play an important...
My Lords, the Committee will also consider the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, otherwise known as the second phase of Awaab’s law. This Government are determined to drive a lasting change in the safety and quality of social housing. These draft regulations play an important...
My Lords, I first draw the attention of the Grand Committee to the fact that I am a counsellor for a local authority that owns social housing, so this is something close to my heart.
First, on the issue of social housing regulations for hazards and the extension of Awaab’s law,...
My Lords, I first draw the attention of the Grand Committee to the fact that I am a counsellor for a local authority that owns social housing, so this is something close to my heart.
First, on the issue of social housing regulations for hazards and the extension of Awaab’s law,...
I thank the Minister for bringing forward these regulations. I will speak first to the electrical safety ones, which are largely a technical amendment to reflect other changes to regulation. Landlords do have that duty, and they will continue to have that duty.
First, I have some issues about monitoring the...
I thank the Minister for bringing forward these regulations. I will speak first to the electrical safety ones, which are largely a technical amendment to reflect other changes to regulation. Landlords do have that duty, and they will continue to have that duty.
First, I have some issues about monitoring the...
I thank the noble Lord and the noble Baroness for the contributions. I am pleased to know that we have cross-party and cross-House support for all this. Some valid questions have been asked that I will try my best to address. If I cannot, I have no problem with writing...
I thank the noble Lord and the noble Baroness for the contributions. I am pleased to know that we have cross-party and cross-House support for all this. Some valid questions have been asked that I will try my best to address. If I cannot, I have no problem with writing...
There is an issue that I am quite concerned about, particularly relating to gas checks. If a tenant refuses access and a gas appliance, such as a fire or a boiler, has not been serviced for, say, five years and causes a fire or an explosion, whose responsibility would it...
There is an issue that I am quite concerned about, particularly relating to gas checks. If a tenant refuses access and a gas appliance, such as a fire or a boiler, has not been serviced for, say, five years and causes a fire or an explosion, whose responsibility would it...
As I have said, the Government are well aware of these issues and are looking at concerns regarding the legal framework. I will write to the noble Baroness about exactly where the Government are on all this, what the legal position is and what we are looking at.
As I have said, the Government are well aware of these issues and are looking at concerns regarding the legal framework. I will write to the noble Baroness about exactly where the Government are on all this, what the legal position is and what we are looking at.
I just want to follow up on that. It appears that the Government are coming forward with some very strong powers on HMRC and inspection for things such as mansion tax. Yet, on something that is about life and death, we seem to be skirting around the houses a little....
I just want to follow up on that. It appears that the Government are coming forward with some very strong powers on HMRC and inspection for things such as mansion tax. Yet, on something that is about life and death, we seem to be skirting around the houses a little....
It certainly is, which is why we are making sure that we are addressing the issue. I will also write to the noble Lord about exactly where we are on the legal framework and its development.
On hygiene, which was another issue raised, it is about a deficiency in the property...
It certainly is, which is why we are making sure that we are addressing the issue. I will also write to the noble Lord about exactly where we are on the legal framework and its development.
On hygiene, which was another issue raised, it is about a deficiency in the property...
I am sorry to be finicky; I just want to understand this. I read through the impact assessment and the Minister is right: familiarisation, triage, prep and postage are essentially administrative costs of the process. It goes on to talk about non-monetised impacts, which are impossible to assess. I am...
I am sorry to be finicky; I just want to understand this. I read through the impact assessment and the Minister is right: familiarisation, triage, prep and postage are essentially administrative costs of the process. It goes on to talk about non-monetised impacts, which are impossible to assess. I am...
I think we have covered the figures. If we come across any other figures, I can surely pass them on to the noble Lord. This is part of a wider regulatory framework that helps keep people in social housing safe. Obviously, if these are complied with, the additional cost will...
I think we have covered the figures. If we come across any other figures, I can surely pass them on to the noble Lord. This is part of a wider regulatory framework that helps keep people in social housing safe. Obviously, if these are complied with, the additional cost will...
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Anthropic’s decision not to provide its Claude Mythos 5.1 model to the UK AI Security Institute for pre-release testing; whether the Institute has subsequently been provided with access to that model; and what steps they are taking to ensure...
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Anthropic’s decision not to provide its Claude Mythos 5.1 model to the UK AI Security Institute for pre-release testing; whether the Institute has subsequently been provided with access to that model; and what steps they are taking to ensure...
AISI maintains strong relationships with all frontier AI developers, that whilst voluntary, are bound by memoranda of understanding, and continues to test the world’s most capable models prior to their deployment. Only this month, we tested OpenAI’s most powerful model, GPT-6 Astra, before it was released to the public. AISI has tested dozens of models from leading AI companies, including OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Anthropic.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to bring forward legislation to amend section 7A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 so that a specimen of blood taken from a driver incapable of giving consent may be tested without that driver's subsequent consent.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to bring forward legislation to amend section 7A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 so that a specimen of blood taken from a driver incapable of giving consent may be tested without that driver's subsequent consent.
The Government recently consulted on possible changes to the law and practice governing drink and drug testing. Responses are being analysed and the Government will set out its conclusions and any next steps in its response to the consultation.
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the AI Security Institute has access to frontier artificial intelligence models for pre-release safety testing.
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the AI Security Institute has access to frontier artificial intelligence models for pre-release safety testing.
The UK's AI Security Institute (AISI) has built trusted, voluntary relationships with the world's leading AI labs. This collaboration lets us keep pace with a fast-moving technology and adapt as it evolves, and has allowed AISI to secure privileged access that has identified dozens of vulnerabilities that developers fixed before public release. AISI is in daily conversation with industry partners and works closely with allies and partners around the world on the risks posed by increasingly capable AI systems.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on improving access to T&E resources.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on improving access to T&E resources.
As part of our commitment to support SMEs and aid UK growth, the MOD and QinetiQ, who operate MOD’s Test & Evaluation ranges, have introduced a Test & Evaluation Innovation Gateway to accelerate access and availability to the MOD’s Test & Evaluation ranges. Alongside this, the T&E Transformation Programme is launching the Test and Evaluation Marketplace by the end of 2026. This will help T&E users, both within Defence and industry to connect with suitable T&E facilities, capability and support services from both defence and the private sector.
Further announcements will be made in due course in relation to expanding SME access to T&E resources and facilities.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on Test and Evaluation (T&E) Transformation.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on Test and Evaluation (T&E) Transformation.
Following its launch in 2021, the T&E Transformation programme has concluded its discovery phase, launched its programme concept for future test and evaluation (Future Advantage through Evaluation) and is in its first delivery phase aligning to key outcomes highlighted in the Strategic Defence Review, Defence Industrial Strategy and Defence Investment Plan. Progress to note this year is its delivery of Flight Termination Systems, T&E activity at BATUS and the planned launches of the T&E Marketplace and the High-Fidelity Synthetic T&E Range.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 3.2.31 of the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, in which month in 2026 does he plan to launch an online Test and Evaluation marketplace.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 3.2.31 of the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, in which month in 2026 does he plan to launch an online Test and Evaluation marketplace.
The Test and Evaluation Marketplace will help T&E users, both within Defence and industry to connect with suitable T&E facilities, capability and support services from both defence and the private sector. This is progressing to launch by the end of the 2026 calendar year, with a proposed date in November.
To ask His Majesty's Government what personnel are eligible to be awarded the Nuclear Test Medal.
To ask His Majesty's Government what personnel are eligible to be awarded the Nuclear Test Medal.
The full eligibility criteria for the Nuclear Test Medal are available in the attached.
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the official definition of the term British nuclear test veteran; whether that definition includes British service personnel who were officially deployed to monitor foreign atmospheric nuclear tests after 1966; and, if they are not included in the definition, whether they will establish and...
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the official definition of the term British nuclear test veteran; whether that definition includes British service personnel who were officially deployed to monitor foreign atmospheric nuclear tests after 1966; and, if they are not included in the definition, whether they will establish and...
There is no official definition of the term British nuclear test veteran. Existing processes, including the eligibility criteria for the Nuclear Test Medal, are considered sufficient for determining qualifying service for the relevant purpose. We have, however, taken a significant step in broadening recognition through the medal scheme by extending eligibility to all UK personnel who directly supported American atmospheric nuclear tests during the 1950s and 1960s, as well as those deployed from the UK to support the monitoring of French and Chinese atmospheric tests.
To date, nearly 6,000 veterans, or their next of kin where the veteran is deceased, have received the Nuclear Test Medal in recognition of their service. For further information on the criteria, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nuclear-test-medal-eligibility-criteria
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have an official definition of the term "British nuclear test veteran"; if so, whether that definition includes British service personnel who were officially deployed to monitor foreign atmospheric nuclear tests after 1966, including personnel of RAF 543 Squadron and RAF 27 Squadron; and if...
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have an official definition of the term "British nuclear test veteran"; if so, whether that definition includes British service personnel who were officially deployed to monitor foreign atmospheric nuclear tests after 1966, including personnel of RAF 543 Squadron and RAF 27 Squadron; and if...
There is no official definition of the term British nuclear test veteran. Existing processes, including the eligibility criteria for the Nuclear Test Medal, are considered sufficient for determining qualifying service for the relevant purpose. We have, however, taken a significant step in broadening recognition through the medal scheme by extending eligibility to all UK personnel who directly supported American atmospheric nuclear tests during the 1950s and 1960s, as well as those deployed from the UK to support the monitoring of French and Chinese atmospheric tests.
To date, nearly 6,000 veterans, or their next of kin where the veteran is deceased, have received the Nuclear Test Medal in recognition of their service. For further information on the criteria, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nuclear-test-medal-eligibility-criteria
To ask His Majesty's Government what criteria they used to award the Nuclear Test Medal; and what nuclear tests are eligible for an award.
To ask His Majesty's Government what criteria they used to award the Nuclear Test Medal; and what nuclear tests are eligible for an award.
The Nuclear Test Medal is awarded to recognise service connected with the United Kingdom's nuclear testing programme between 1952 and 1967 and those personnel who took part in subsequent operations to monitor atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by other nations. The criteria have been expanded to now include all UK personnel who directly supported American atmospheric nuclear tests during the 1950s and 1960s, and UK personnel who were deployed from the UK in support of monitoring of French and Chinese atmospheric tests. Nearly 6,000 veterans (or awarded posthumously to the next of kin of eligible individuals) have received their Nuclear Test Medal in recognition of their service.
To qualify, individuals must have served at designated operational locations during the relevant periods, including participation in the UK nuclear test programme, support to US atmospheric nuclear tests under Operations BAGPIPES and DOMINIC, or deployment from the UK to monitor French and Chinese atmospheric nuclear tests. Eligibility is assessed against the published criteria, which specify the qualifying operations, locations, roles and periods of service required for the award.
To ask His Majesty's Government how many British military personnel who took part in nuclear weapons testing are currently alive; and what plans they have, if any, to compensate them.
To ask His Majesty's Government how many British military personnel who took part in nuclear weapons testing are currently alive; and what plans they have, if any, to compensate them.
The Government is deeply grateful to all those who participated in the UK's nuclear testing programme and recognises their service and the significant contribution they made to the nation's security.
The Ministry of Defence does not hold information on how many British military personnel who participated in the UK's nuclear weapons testing programme are currently alive. It is estimated that around 22,000 Service personnel and civilians participated in the UK's nuclear testing programme between 1952 and 1967.
There is no dedicated compensation scheme for Nuclear Test Veterans and their families. However, veterans who believe they have suffered ill health as a result of their service may apply for no-fault compensation under the War Pension Scheme, provided they served before 6 April 2005.
War Pensions may be awarded for illness or injury caused by service in the Armed Forces, with the benefit of reasonable doubt given to the claimant. Claims are assessed on the basis of available service and medical evidence, medically certified, and carry a full right of appeal to an independent tribunal.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the treatment of nuclear test veterans in the United States and France; and what lessons they have learned from comparisons with those countries’ approaches to the provision of compensation for veterans affected by nuclear testing and their descendants.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the treatment of nuclear test veterans in the United States and France; and what lessons they have learned from comparisons with those countries’ approaches to the provision of compensation for veterans affected by nuclear testing and their descendants.
Arrangements and support for nuclear test veterans in other countries, including the United States and France, are matters for those governments.
In the United Kingdom, veterans who believe they have suffered ill health as a result of their service may apply for no-fault compensation under the War Pension Scheme, provided they served before 6 April 2005. Claims are considered on the basis of the available service and medical evidence, with the benefit of reasonable doubt given to the claimant, and decisions carry a full right of appeal to an independent tribunal.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the assertion made by the then Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, in a June 2025 interview on Newsnight that there had been a cover-up concerning British veterans involved in nuclear weapons testing.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the assertion made by the then Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, in a June 2025 interview on Newsnight that there had been a cover-up concerning British veterans involved in nuclear weapons testing.
The Government is deeply grateful to all those who participated in the UK nuclear testing programme. We owe an enduring debt of gratitude to the more than 22,000 Service personnel, scientists and civilians whose contributions helped safeguard the nation's security.
The Government has carefully considered concerns raised regarding the handling of records relating to the UK nuclear testing programme. To address long-standing questions from nuclear test veterans about blood and urine testing policies, an extensive records discovery exercise was commissioned and completed, examining tens of thousands of documents held by the Ministry of Defence.
The exercise found no evidence of intentional concealment of medical records. The findings were published along with an accompanying Written Ministerial Statement on 15 July 2026.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the assertion of former Veterans' Minister, Tobias Ellwood, that the Ministry of Defence deliberately withheld medical records of veterans who oversaw nuclear tests.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the assertion of former Veterans' Minister, Tobias Ellwood, that the Ministry of Defence deliberately withheld medical records of veterans who oversaw nuclear tests.
The Government is deeply grateful to all those who participated in the UK nuclear testing programme. We owe an enduring debt of gratitude to the more than 22,000 Service personnel, scientists and civilians whose contributions helped safeguard the nation's security.
The Government has carefully considered concerns raised regarding the handling of records relating to the UK nuclear testing programme. To address long-standing questions from nuclear test veterans about blood and urine testing policies, an extensive records discovery exercise was commissioned and completed, examining tens of thousands of documents held by the Ministry of Defence.
The exercise found no evidence of intentional concealment of medical records. The findings were published along with an accompanying Written Ministerial Statement on 15 July 2026.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment the Government has made of the adequacy of the AI Security Institute’s access arrangements with frontier AI developers following reports concerning Claude Mythos 5.1; whether the Minister will publish, for each of Anthropic and OpenAI, the number of models for...
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment the Government has made of the adequacy of the AI Security Institute’s access arrangements with frontier AI developers following reports concerning Claude Mythos 5.1; whether the Minister will publish, for each of Anthropic and OpenAI, the number of models for...
I previously put it to the Prisons Minister in one of these sessions that anyone who fails a drug test on arrival in an open prison like Kirkham does not belong there and should be sent back to a more secure prison. The Minister said they were concerned but could not agree to that. Has the Department had any more thoughts on at least consequences for failing a drug test on arrival at an open prison?
I previously put it to the Prisons Minister in one of these sessions that anyone who fails a drug test on arrival in an open prison like Kirkham does not belong there and should be sent back to a more secure prison. The Minister said they were concerned but could not agree to that. Has the Department had any more thoughts on at least consequences for failing a drug test on arrival at an open prison?
I absolutely recognise the hon. Gentleman’s concerns. We have a review ongoing into these issues within prisons, led by Amber Rudd, and we will continue to ensure that we have the deterrence, to stop drugs getting in, and that the right actions are taken when they do.
I absolutely recognise the hon. Gentleman’s concerns. We have a review ongoing into these issues within prisons, led by Amber Rudd, and we will continue to ensure that we have the deterrence, to stop drugs getting in, and that the right actions are taken when they do.
I absolutely recognise the hon. Gentleman’s concerns. We have a review ongoing into these issues within prisons, led by Amber Rudd, and we will continue to ensure that we have the deterrence, to stop drugs getting in, and that the right actions are taken when they do.
I previously put it to the Prisons Minister in one of these sessions that anyone who fails a drug test on arrival in an open prison like Kirkham does not belong there and should be sent back to a more secure prison. The Minister said they were concerned but could not agree to that. Has the Department had any more thoughts on at least consequences for failing a drug test on arrival at an open prison?
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much will be spent on uncrewed and autonomous testing for the British Army in the (a) current and (b) remaining financial years of this Parliament.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much will be spent on uncrewed and autonomous testing for the British Army in the (a) current and (b) remaining financial years of this Parliament.
The information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
There is a range of test and evaluation activity planned across Project CORVUS, Project NYX, Uncrewed Ground Vehicle development activities and other Army uncrewed and autonomous capability programmes. However, costs specific to test and evaluation are not accounted for separately from wider programme and operating costs.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much will be spent on uncrewed and autonomous testing for the Royal Air Force in the (a) current and (b) remaining financial years of this Parliament.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much will be spent on uncrewed and autonomous testing for the Royal Air Force in the (a) current and (b) remaining financial years of this Parliament.
The information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
There is a range of Test and Evaluation activity planned across the Protector RG1 programme, the Stormshroud programme, Collaborative Combat Aircraft, and other technology development programmes. However, costs specific to Test and Evaluation are not accounted for separately from wider programme and operating costs.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made towards publishing records about Nuclear Test Veterans from The Technical Cooperation Programme.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made towards publishing records about Nuclear Test Veterans from The Technical Cooperation Programme.
The Ministry of Defence wrote to the hon. Lady in March explaining the challenges associated with locating, accessing and searching TTCP information held in a variety of archives, both electronic and paper. Since sending that letter, the department has identified and examined a number of TTCP files to determine whether they are in scope of her enquiry. A review of these documents has found no mention of data pertaining to experiments on British Servicemen. Work is ongoing to identify and review other TTCP records for anything within scope. These activities are separate from efforts which were previously the subject of a Written Ministerial Statement, titled 'Nuclear Test Veterans Report', released in July.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total amount is that will be spent on uncrewed and autonomous testing for the Royal Navy in the (a) current and (b) remaining financial years of this parliament.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total amount is that will be spent on uncrewed and autonomous testing for the Royal Navy in the (a) current and (b) remaining financial years of this parliament.
The information required to answer the question is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost to the Department.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential role of minimal residual disease testing in supporting more personalised treatment pathways for blood cancer patients.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential role of minimal residual disease testing in supporting more personalised treatment pathways for blood cancer patients.
The Government is committed to ensuring blood cancer patients can benefit from more personalised approaches to treatment where these are supported by the best available evidence.
The National Cancer Plan sets out how we will support this through expanding access to genomics, modernising diagnostic services, and accelerating the adoption of evidence-based innovation across the National Health Service. By 2028, genomic data will be integrated into the unified genomic record as part of the Single Patient Record, enabling clinicians to identify the most effective treatment pathway more quickly.
Decisions on the commissioning and adoption of individual tests and treatments are informed by the available clinical evidence and are the responsibility of NHS England. Decisions about an individual's treatment are made by clinicians and multidisciplinary teams, taking account of the patient's clinical circumstances.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will introduce mandatory vehicle registration plate compliance checks as part of the MOT testing regime.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will introduce mandatory vehicle registration plate compliance checks as part of the MOT testing regime.
Vehicle registration plate compliance checks are already included within the MOT test. Registration plates are inspected to ensure they are legible, correctly displayed and comply with legal requirements, and non-compliant plates can result in an MOT failure.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of specialised rocket propulsion testing facilities, in supporting academic research, student competitions, and start-up enterprise testing.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of specialised rocket propulsion testing facilities, in supporting academic research, student competitions, and start-up enterprise testing.
The UK Space Agency (UKSA), in 2021/22, assessed the sector’s need for a publicly funded propulsion test facility. As a result, £4 million was invested into opening the National Space Propulsion Test Facility (NSPTF) at Westcott in 2022, providing UK industry and academia with access to specialist high-altitude and vacuum-enabled propulsion testing.
NSPTF strengthens UK sovereign capability, enabling domestic engine-testing, reducing reliance on overseas infrastructure.
Nammo UK’s LEROS engine, tested at NSPTF, powering Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost mission, successfully landing on the Moon in March 2025.
UKSA also supports skills development through University of Sheffield’s Race-2-Space competition, hosted at Westcott. Race-2-Space 2026 involved 30 student teams, giving future engineers practical, hands-on propulsion testing experience.
Lords committee stage third day. Clauses 37 to 61 agreed to. Bill reported with amendments (HL Bill 49).
Lords committee stage third day. Clauses 37 to 61 agreed to. Bill reported with amendments (HL Bill 49).
Moved by
Lord Clement-Jones
92C: Clause 37, page 62, line 24, leave out subsection (7)
Member’s explanatory statement
This probing amendment would remove the power for the Secretary of State to amend this Act by regulations so as to change the consultation and parliamentary scrutiny requirements applying to a code of practice. It responds...
Moved by
Lord Clement-Jones
92C: Clause 37, page 62, line 24, leave out subsection (7)
Member’s explanatory statement
This probing amendment would remove the power for the Secretary of State to amend this Act by regulations so as to change the consultation and parliamentary scrutiny requirements applying to a code of practice. It responds...
My Lords, I think that we are in the final furlong. In moving my Amendment 92C, I will also speak to the closely aligned Amendment 95C under my name. These amendments raise a profound and non-negotiable constitutional principle. They respond directly to the almost always authoritative recommendations of the Delegated...
My Lords, I think that we are in the final furlong. In moving my Amendment 92C, I will also speak to the closely aligned Amendment 95C under my name. These amendments raise a profound and non-negotiable constitutional principle. They respond directly to the almost always authoritative recommendations of the Delegated...
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, for opening the final day of Committee. For a Bill of such importance, I am surprised at the speed of our progress. However, if quantity has been low, quality has more than compensated.
I agree with the noble Lord that this Committee...
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, for opening the final day of Committee. For a Bill of such importance, I am surprised at the speed of our progress. However, if quantity has been low, quality has more than compensated.
I agree with the noble Lord that this Committee...
I thank the noble Lord for his Amendments 92C and 95C, and note that these amendments were recommended by the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee in its report of 17 July. Some noble Lords may be aware that, until very recently, I was the chair of that committee. I...
I thank the noble Lord for his Amendments 92C and 95C, and note that these amendments were recommended by the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee in its report of 17 July. Some noble Lords may be aware that, until very recently, I was the chair of that committee. I...
I thank the Minister for her response, which was the reverse of the usual ministerial response—the sting was not in the tail but at the beginning. The end was much more conciliatory, given that she said the Government will consider taking on board the DPRRC’s recommendations before Report. I very...
I thank the Minister for her response, which was the reverse of the usual ministerial response—the sting was not in the tail but at the beginning. The end was much more conciliatory, given that she said the Government will consider taking on board the DPRRC’s recommendations before Report. I very...
Moved by
Baroness Northover
99: After Clause 42, insert the following new Clause—
“Cyber security competence: functions of the UK Cyber Security Council
(1) The UK Cyber Security Council is to exercise the functions described in subsection (2) and is accountable to the Secretary of State for the exercise of those functions.
(2) The functions...
Moved by
Baroness Northover
99: After Clause 42, insert the following new Clause—
“Cyber security competence: functions of the UK Cyber Security Council
(1) The UK Cyber Security Council is to exercise the functions described in subsection (2) and is accountable to the Secretary of State for the exercise of those functions.
(2) The functions...
My Lords, all the amendments that I have put down to the Bill are derived from evidence we received on the National Resilience Select Committee. I am sorry that I was not here last week to address those that came up then, and I am very grateful to my noble...
My Lords, all the amendments that I have put down to the Bill are derived from evidence we received on the National Resilience Select Committee. I am sorry that I was not here last week to address those that came up then, and I am very grateful to my noble...
My Lords, I was hoping that there would be other contributors—there will be a double-banking on this amendment.
I support Amendment 99, tabled by my noble friend. Throughout our deliberations on this Bill, the Government have placed enormous emphasis on imposing tough, outcomes-based statutory duties on operators and suppliers across our...
My Lords, I was hoping that there would be other contributors—there will be a double-banking on this amendment.
I support Amendment 99, tabled by my noble friend. Throughout our deliberations on this Bill, the Government have placed enormous emphasis on imposing tough, outcomes-based statutory duties on operators and suppliers across our...
My Lords, I intervene in support of the amendment in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Northover. I do not want the Liberal
Democrats to be on their own, so I hear the call from the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones. It brings me back to the coalition days, when...
My Lords, I intervene in support of the amendment in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Northover. I do not want the Liberal
Democrats to be on their own, so I hear the call from the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones. It brings me back to the coalition days, when...
My Lords, I very much hope that the Government will accept the amendment in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Northover. It strikes me as a practical and important contribution to the Bill.
In addition to the points that have already been made by noble colleagues, there is one more...
My Lords, I very much hope that the Government will accept the amendment in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Northover. It strikes me as a practical and important contribution to the Bill.
In addition to the points that have already been made by noble colleagues, there is one more...
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Northover, for bringing forward Amendment 99. Throughout our consideration of the Bill, I have returned several times to the distinction between cyber compliance and cyber capability, and this amendment goes directly to that issue. We can impose ever more duties on businesses,...
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Northover, for bringing forward Amendment 99. Throughout our consideration of the Bill, I have returned several times to the distinction between cyber compliance and cyber capability, and this amendment goes directly to that issue. We can impose ever more duties on businesses,...
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her amendment, in particular her focus on the importance of the skills and competence of the UK cyber security professionals on whom we all rely and our economy will continue to rely. As the noble Lord, Lord Vaizey, said, an important aspect...
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her amendment, in particular her focus on the importance of the skills and competence of the UK cyber security professionals on whom we all rely and our economy will continue to rely. As the noble Lord, Lord Vaizey, said, an important aspect...
I thank the Minister for her thoughtful reply and I thank other noble Lords for their support here. Clearly, we are all seeking to move in the same direction. There is a challenge and risks here that are incredibly important. Whether this is the right way forward, we will have...
I thank the Minister for her thoughtful reply and I thank other noble Lords for their support here. Clearly, we are all seeking to move in the same direction. There is a challenge and risks here that are incredibly important. Whether this is the right way forward, we will have...
Moved by
Baroness Northover
100: After Clause 42, insert the following new Clause—
“National cyber security support service for small and medium-sized enterprises
(1) The Secretary of State must, by regulations, make provision for the establishment and operation of a national cyber security support and incident response service for relevant small and medium-sized enterprises...
Moved by
Baroness Northover
100: After Clause 42, insert the following new Clause—
“National cyber security support service for small and medium-sized enterprises
(1) The Secretary of State must, by regulations, make provision for the establishment and operation of a national cyber security support and incident response service for relevant small and medium-sized enterprises...
My Lords, this amendment again comes out of the evidence submitted to our National Resilience Select Committee.
It has been reported that many SMEs think that they are too small to be a target. However, as was reported at Second Reading, government research shows that 50% of UK SMEs faced some...
My Lords, this amendment again comes out of the evidence submitted to our National Resilience Select Committee.
It has been reported that many SMEs think that they are too small to be a target. However, as was reported at Second Reading, government research shows that 50% of UK SMEs faced some...
My Lords, I rise early to support the amendment from the noble Baroness, Lady Northover, partly to spare the stress of the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, and also because there is a Liberal Democrat amendment imminent in the Chamber, although we of course will be abstaining—our solidarity with the Liberal...
My Lords, I rise early to support the amendment from the noble Baroness, Lady Northover, partly to spare the stress of the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, and also because there is a Liberal Democrat amendment imminent in the Chamber, although we of course will be abstaining—our solidarity with the Liberal...
My Lords, I support Amendment 100, in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Northover. I spoke in support of this type of amendment at Second Reading and I still support its intentions, but I will give it an added twist. The question in my mind is where this resource...
My Lords, I support Amendment 100, in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Northover. I spoke in support of this type of amendment at Second Reading and I still support its intentions, but I will give it an added twist. The question in my mind is where this resource...
I think we all share the sympathy that the noble Baroness, Lady Northover, has identified SMEs need. There are 5.7 million SMEs in the UK and many of them—indeed, most of them—will purchase what are relatively complex platforms. The noble Lord, Lord Londesborough, is extremely experienced in the SME sector;...
I think we all share the sympathy that the noble Baroness, Lady Northover, has identified SMEs need. There are 5.7 million SMEs in the UK and many of them—indeed, most of them—will purchase what are relatively complex platforms. The noble Lord, Lord Londesborough, is extremely experienced in the SME sector;...
My Lords, I too support Amendment 100, in the name of my noble friend Lady Northover, and will add my support to the very
useful speeches from the noble Lords, Lord Vaizey, Lord Birt and Lord Londesborough. I entirely agree with the noble Lord, Lord Vaizey, about the need to...
My Lords, I too support Amendment 100, in the name of my noble friend Lady Northover, and will add my support to the very
useful speeches from the noble Lords, Lord Vaizey, Lord Birt and Lord Londesborough. I entirely agree with the noble Lord, Lord Vaizey, about the need to...
To continue, if the state is going to impose heavy, legally binding supply chain security duties on small businesses, backed by turnover-based fines, the state has a moral and strategic obligation to provide the operational tools needed to meet those standards. By establishing a free, Australian-style digital safety net under...
To continue, if the state is going to impose heavy, legally binding supply chain security duties on small businesses, backed by turnover-based fines, the state has a moral and strategic obligation to provide the operational tools needed to meet those standards. By establishing a free, Australian-style digital safety net under...
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Northover, for her amendment and, needless to say, I support the intention behind it. It is clearly right that, having placed several new duties on businesses and their vendors, the Government consider how to ensure that they are able to carry them...
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Northover, for her amendment and, needless to say, I support the intention behind it. It is clearly right that, having placed several new duties on businesses and their vendors, the Government consider how to ensure that they are able to carry them...
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her amendment and for linking the issue of cyber security with wider questions on national resilience; she is absolutely right to situate it in that space. I also thank her for introducing the topic of the right amount of cyber security support...
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her amendment and for linking the issue of cyber security with wider questions on national resilience; she is absolutely right to situate it in that space. I also thank her for introducing the topic of the right amount of cyber security support...
I thank the Minister, and I thank noble Lords for their support. This is clearly an area where we agree that there is a problem; we are very vulnerable in the United Kingdom. What we have in place is clearly not working sufficiently well if 60% of SMEs that are...
I thank the Minister, and I thank noble Lords for their support. This is clearly an area where we agree that there is a problem; we are very vulnerable in the United Kingdom. What we have in place is clearly not working sufficiently well if 60% of SMEs that are...
Moved by
Lord Clement-Jones
148A: After Clause 52, insert the following new Clause—
“Appeals against decisions under section 50
(1) A person may appeal to the Upper Tribunal against—
(a) a confirmation decision given to the person under section 50;
(b) a decision under section 50 to require the person to pay a penalty;
(c) the amount...
Moved by
Lord Clement-Jones
148A: After Clause 52, insert the following new Clause—
“Appeals against decisions under section 50
(1) A person may appeal to the Upper Tribunal against—
(a) a confirmation decision given to the person under section 50;
(b) a decision under section 50 to require the person to pay a penalty;
(c) the amount...
My Lords, Amendment 148A stands in my name on the Marshalled List. This amendment would address a profound, structural and deeply disturbing gap in the judicial oversight and democratic accountability of the Bill. It represents a direct implementation of the authoritative recommendation of the Select Committee on the Constitution, in...
My Lords, Amendment 148A stands in my name on the Marshalled List. This amendment would address a profound, structural and deeply disturbing gap in the judicial oversight and democratic accountability of the Bill. It represents a direct implementation of the authoritative recommendation of the Select Committee on the Constitution, in...
My Lords, in addressing the amendment in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, I may increase his stress levels, unfortunately, as I oppose it. This means, I guess, that I am supporting the Government—that is, unless the Government are going to perform a volte-face in the face of...
My Lords, in addressing the amendment in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, I may increase his stress levels, unfortunately, as I oppose it. This means, I guess, that I am supporting the Government—that is, unless the Government are going to perform a volte-face in the face of...
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, for introducing this important group and all noble Lords for their contributions. Beginning with Amendment 148A, it is reasonable to suggest that there should be a further right to appeal, given that we are talking about potentially large penalties of £17...
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, for introducing this important group and all noble Lords for their contributions. Beginning with Amendment 148A, it is reasonable to suggest that there should be a further right to appeal, given that we are talking about potentially large penalties of £17...
I thank noble Lords for their amendments, starting with Amendment 148A, from the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, which indeed
is in line with the recommendation from the Constitution Committee, which I thank for its report and its detailed scrutiny of this legislation.
As the noble Lord points out, Part 4 enables...
I thank noble Lords for their amendments, starting with Amendment 148A, from the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, which indeed
is in line with the recommendation from the Constitution Committee, which I thank for its report and its detailed scrutiny of this legislation.
As the noble Lord points out, Part 4 enables...
I resume with Amendments 174A and 174B, which were introduced by the noble Lord, Lord Markham. They would require the Secretary of State to create a register of “foreign powers” that pose a threat to UK cyber security, to review this register and to lay the report in Parliament. This...
I resume with Amendments 174A and 174B, which were introduced by the noble Lord, Lord Markham. They would require the Secretary of State to create a register of “foreign powers” that pose a threat to UK cyber security, to review this register and to lay the report in Parliament. This...
I thank the Minister for her response and the noble Lords, Lord Vaizey and Lord Markham, for their contributions. I cannot help feeling that the approach to this by the noble Lord, Lord Vaizey, is coloured by his history as a Minister. I can understand that because I saw the...
I thank the Minister for her response and the noble Lords, Lord Vaizey and Lord Markham, for their contributions. I cannot help feeling that the approach to this by the noble Lord, Lord Vaizey, is coloured by his history as a Minister. I can understand that because I saw the...
Moved by
Lord Clement-Jones
164: After Clause 58, insert the following new Clause—
“Computer Misuse Act 1990: statutory defence for cyber security activities
(1) The Secretary of State must, within 12 months of the day on which this Act is passed, carry out and publish a review of whether the introduction of a statutory...
Moved by
Lord Clement-Jones
164: After Clause 58, insert the following new Clause—
“Computer Misuse Act 1990: statutory defence for cyber security activities
(1) The Secretary of State must, within 12 months of the day on which this Act is passed, carry out and publish a review of whether the introduction of a statutory...
My Lords, Amendment 164 is in my name and, I am delighted to say, that of the noble Lord, Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom. Sadly, he is tied up next door with matters of national security—I hope that I am not giving away any secrets—and is unable to speak to this...
My Lords, Amendment 164 is in my name and, I am delighted to say, that of the noble Lord, Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom. Sadly, he is tied up next door with matters of national security—I hope that I am not giving away any secrets—and is unable to speak to this...
My Lords, I strongly support the amendment from the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, whether technically or in spirit. He is right to point out how outdated the Computer Misuse Act is and that its blanket prohibition on undertaking cyber security activities without any public interest defence is ridiculous.
The noble Lord’s...
My Lords, I strongly support the amendment from the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, whether technically or in spirit. He is right to point out how outdated the Computer Misuse Act is and that its blanket prohibition on undertaking cyber security activities without any public interest defence is ridiculous.
The noble Lord’s...
My Lords, the campaign to reform the Computer Misuse Act is at least 10 years old, not just five. We—including me—have been working to try to get the provision that is contained in the amendment before us from the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones. I endorse every single word that he...
My Lords, the campaign to reform the Computer Misuse Act is at least 10 years old, not just five. We—including me—have been working to try to get the provision that is contained in the amendment before us from the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones. I endorse every single word that he...
My Lords, I will speak briefly in support of the amendment from the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, which he so comprehensively set out. I did not mention this at Second Reading because I thought it was so self-evidently sensible that this needed to be fixed. I should know better, having...
My Lords, I will speak briefly in support of the amendment from the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, which he so comprehensively set out. I did not mention this at Second Reading because I thought it was so self-evidently sensible that this needed to be fixed. I should know better, having...
My Lords, one of the advantages of being in this Committee Room for these debates in Committee is that I can use Claude—I hope that is allowed—to answer the question of what the cyber security community thinks about the Computer Misuse Act. The answer comes back in bold. I will...
My Lords, one of the advantages of being in this Committee Room for these debates in Committee is that I can use Claude—I hope that is allowed—to answer the question of what the cyber security community thinks about the Computer Misuse Act. The answer comes back in bold. I will...
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, for introducing this amendment and the noble Lord, Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom, whom I see in his place. I am sorry he was unable to attend the beginning of this debate, but we are told it was for very good reasons....
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, for introducing this amendment and the noble Lord, Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom, whom I see in his place. I am sorry he was unable to attend the beginning of this debate, but we are told it was for very good reasons....
I am grateful to the noble Lord for raising this topic through his amendment, and I recognise the strength of feeling on reforming the Computer Misuse Act. I agree that the UK should have the right legislative framework to allow us to tackle the threats posed by cyber criminals.
The Home...
I am grateful to the noble Lord for raising this topic through his amendment, and I recognise the strength of feeling on reforming the Computer Misuse Act. I agree that the UK should have the right legislative framework to allow us to tackle the threats posed by cyber criminals.
The Home...
I thank the Minister for that response. The noble Lord, Lord Vaizey, said that we know what the Minister will say: that it will be in a future piece of legislation. To that extent, we are pleased that at least we have a commitment to it, but this has been...
I thank the Minister for that response. The noble Lord, Lord Vaizey, said that we know what the Minister will say: that it will be in a future piece of legislation. To that extent, we are pleased that at least we have a commitment to it, but this has been...
Moved by
Lord Markham
174E: After Clause 58, insert the following new Clause—
“Increasing resilience by reducing data retention
(1) The Secretary of State must, within one month of the day on which this Act is passed, open a consultation on the potential impact of minimising data collection and increasing data anonymisation on the...
Moved by
Lord Markham
174E: After Clause 58, insert the following new Clause—
“Increasing resilience by reducing data retention
(1) The Secretary of State must, within one month of the day on which this Act is passed, open a consultation on the potential impact of minimising data collection and increasing data anonymisation on the...
Amendment 174E in my name and those of my noble friends Lord Camrose and Lord Holmes builds on the point I made in the debate last Thursday that the best defence in cyber is, of course, not to present an attractive target in the first place.
I go back to my...
Amendment 174E in my name and those of my noble friends Lord Camrose and Lord Holmes builds on the point I made in the debate last Thursday that the best defence in cyber is, of course, not to present an attractive target in the first place.
I go back to my...
My Lords, despite the fact that this is the last group, it is a really important area and this amendment rightly reflects that. We strongly support Amendment 174E. It would introduce a fundamentally elegant and highly necessary cyber security principle that the Bill has otherwise completely ignored: that of data...
My Lords, despite the fact that this is the last group, it is a really important area and this amendment rightly reflects that. We strongly support Amendment 174E. It would introduce a fundamentally elegant and highly necessary cyber security principle that the Bill has otherwise completely ignored: that of data...
I thank the noble Lord, Lord Markham, for raising this important issue again. Good data hygiene and security is essential to ensuring that public bodies are resilient to cyber attacks. Through the Bill, we are better protecting data, to make our essential services safer and more secure for all those...
I thank the noble Lord, Lord Markham, for raising this important issue again. Good data hygiene and security is essential to ensuring that public bodies are resilient to cyber attacks. Through the Bill, we are better protecting data, to make our essential services safer and more secure for all those...
In the spirit of her final remarks on the Bill overall, is the Minister able to give any update as to when the national cyber action plan might emerge?
In the spirit of her final remarks on the Bill overall, is the Minister able to give any update as to when the national cyber action plan might emerge?