The Telecommunications (Security) Bill aims to give the government unprecedented new powers to boost the security standards of the UK’s telecoms networks and remove the threat of high risk vendors.

The Bill will strengthen the security framework for technology used in 5G and full fibre networks including the electronic equipment and software at phone mast sites and in telephone exchanges which handle internet traffic and telephone calls.

This will be a significant step to protect the UK from hostile cyber activity by state actors or criminals. Over the past two years the Government has attributed a range of cyber attacks to Russia and China, as well as North Korea and Iranian actors.

The Bill will also provide the Government with new national security powers to issue directions to public telecoms providers in order to manage the risk of high risk vendors. While they are already banned from the most sensitive ‘core’ parts of the network, the Bill will allow the Government to impose controls on telecoms providers’ use of goods, services or facilities supplied by high risk vendors.

Companies which fall short of the new duties or do not follow directions on the use of high risk vendors could face heavy fines of up to ten per cent of turnover or, in the case of a continuing contravention, £100,000 per day. Ofcom will be given the duty of monitoring and assessing the security of telecoms providers.

In July, following advice from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the government announced new controls on the use of Huawei 5G equipment – including a ban on the purchase of new Huawei equipment from the end of this year and a commitment to remove all Huawei equipment from 5G networks by 2027. The Bill creates the powers that will allow the government to enshrine those decisions in law and manage risks from other high risk vendors in the future.

Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said:

We are investing billions to roll out 5G and gigabit broadband across the country, but the benefits can only be realised if we have full confidence in the security and resilience of our networks.

“This groundbreaking bill will give the UK one of the toughest telecoms security regimes in the world and allow us to take the action necessary to protect our networks.”

Currently, telecoms providers are responsible by law for setting their own security standards in their networks. However, the Telecoms Supply Chain Review concluded by the government last year found providers often have little incentive to adopt the best security practices.

To deliver the revolutionary economic and social benefits of 5G and gigabit-capable broadband connections, the government has decided to strengthen the overarching legal duties on providers of UK public telecoms networks and services as a way of incentivising better security practices.

These duties will be set out in the Bill and will mean telecoms providers will need to take appropriate action to bring in minimum security standards for their networks and services and to limit the damage of any breaches.

The Bill will allow the government to issue specific security requirements that providers will need to follow to meet these duties. These requirements will be set out in secondary legislation, but are likely to involve companies acting to:

• securely design, build and maintain sensitive equipment in the core of providers’ networks which controls how they are managed;
• reduce the risks that equipment supplied by third parties in the telecoms supply chain is unreliable or could be used to facilitate cyber attacks;
• carefully control who has permission to access sensitive core network equipment on site as well as the software that manages networks;
• make sure they are able to carry out security audits and put governance in place to understand the risks facing their public networks and services; and
• keep networks running for customers and free from interference, while ensuring confidential customer data is protected when it is sent between different parts of the network.

New codes of practice will demonstrate how certain providers should comply with their legal obligations. These will be published once the Bill has received Royal Assent.

Telecoms watchdog Ofcom will be given stronger powers to monitor and assess operators’ security, alongside enforcing compliance with the new law. This will include carrying out technical testing, interviewing staff, and entering operators’ premises to view equipment and documents.

Markets across the world have become overly reliant on too few vendors due to a lack of competition in the global telecoms supply chain. The government has been engaging extensively with operators, vendors and governments around the world and will soon publish its 5G Diversification Strategy to address this head-on. The strategy will outline new measures to boost competition and innovation in the telecoms supply chain and reduce dependence on individual suppliers.

NCSC Technical Director Dr Ian Levy said:

The roll-out of 5G and gigabit broadband presents great opportunities for the UK, but as we benefit from these we need to improve security in our national networks and operators need to know what is expected of them.

“We are committed to driving up standards and this bill imposes new telecoms security requirements, which will help operators make better risk management decisions.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• Protecting the UK’s telecoms networks has always been the government’s top priority. In January, the government concluded high risk vendors should be excluded from the core and most sensitive parts of the UK’s 5G network, restricted to up to a 35 per cent market share in the access network (subject to an NCSC approved mitigation strategy), which connects devices and equipment to mobile phone masts, by 2023, with the decisions kept under review. Our word-leading cyber security experts were satisfied that with our approach and tough regulatory regime, any risk can be safely managed, but were also clear that further sanctions could require them to change that assessment.
• In July, in response to US sanctions against Huawei, the DCMS Secretary of State announced the complete removal of Huawei equipment from our 5G networks by the end of 2027. Since Huawei first came to the UK in 2003, their presence has been carefully risk-managed. Huawei’s current presence in the UK is subject to detailed formal oversight through the Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre since 2010, and the HCSEC Oversight Board, which has reported annually since 2014.
• Examples of the cyber attacks or breaches the Telecoms (Security) Bill will help to guard the UK against include: 1) Espionage attacks on networks which happen because of the poor security of the companies that provide equipment support to telecoms providers. In 2018, the Chinese ‘APT 10’ group attack on global networks, also known as ‘Cloudhopper’, targeted a range of companies, including in aerospace and defence, telecommunications, professional services, utility sectors and many more. It was one of the most significant and widespread cyber intrusions against the UK and allies uncovered to date targeting trade secrets and economies around the world. 2) Networks being remotely disabled because of insecure connections to other networks, which has caused mobile outages in other countries. This happened in 2016 when unusual network traffic was received by Norwegian telecoms provider Telenor, causing an outage which impacted up to three million customers for 18 hours.
• The government will consult with industry on the new framework before secondary legislation is laid in Parliament. The government will launch a public consultation on the codes of practice after the Bill’s passage to ensure those affected can put forward views on which companies should be subject to new technical requirements and how quickly this work should be carried out.
• Ofcom will also be given a new power to direct telecoms providers to take interim steps to address security gaps during the enforcement process and it will take the Codes of Practice into account when carrying out its role.
• The DCMS Secretary of State will have powers to enforce compliance with designated vendor directions, including through fines, and can ask Ofcom to inspect and investigate and provide compliance reports to the government.

The government has set out its next steps towards a green industrial revolution with ambitious plans for the next round of its flagship renewables support scheme.

The fourth round of the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme – to open in late 2021 – will aim to double the capacity of renewable energy compared to the last round and expand the number of technologies supported, with offshore wind, onshore wind, solar, tidal and floating offshore wind projects all eligible to bid.

This will be coupled with a new consultation looking at the supply chain and ways to support more jobs and private investment by increasing the competitiveness of UK manufacturers. It will mean the country can reap the rewards of clean energy following the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution published last week.

Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng said:

The UK is a world leader in clean energy, with over a third of our electricity now coming from renewables. That huge achievement is thanks to the government’s Contracts for Difference scheme.

The new plans set out today build on the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan and put us firmly on the path towards building a new, green industrial revolution.

The CfD scheme is the government’s primary method of supporting low-carbon electricity. It encourages investment in renewable energy by providing projects with a stable income, while protecting consumers from paying increased costs when electricity prices are high.

The fourth round aims to increase the capacity of renewable energy from the 5.8GW achieved in the last round to up to 12GW, which could be enough to power 20 million electric cars on the UK’s roads in any year.

Government support to unleash the potential of offshore wind generation has seen the cost of it fall by two thirds in the last 5 years. Given its long-term potential to support the country’s 2050 net zero target, offshore wind projects will compete in their own ‘pot’ in the next auction process rather than against other technologies as they have previously.

Last year’s third round delivered record-low prices and secured enough clean energy to power over 7 million homes. Today’s plans set out changes to the structure of the scheme to build on that success.

Floating offshore wind projects will be able to bid for contracts for the first time, allowing wind farms to be built further away from the shoreline where it is windiest and increasing the UK’s renewable energy capacity even further.

And as announced in March, solar and onshore wind projects will be able to bid for the first time since 2015, coupled with a commitment to update guidance for new onshore wind schemes in England to fully reflect the impacts and benefits to local communities.

Following the first consultation on the fourth CfD round, the government has also announced today (24 November 2020) that a second consultation is being launched on new proposals for the Supply Chain Plan.

The proposals are designed to increase the clarity, ambition and measurability of commitments made by renewable project developers when they bid for contracts in the CfD scheme, and to introduce new measures if they subsequently fail to deliver on those commitments.

Today’s announcement follows last week’s unveiling of the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan, which outlines an ambitious vision of a low-carbon future for the UK, and will ensure that clean energy continues to play a key role in ending our contribution to climate change entirely by 2050.

• read the consultation response
• the fourth round will see three ‘pots’ for renewables technologies:
  • Pot 1: Established technologies – including onshore wind and solar PV
  • Pot 2: Less-established technologies – including floating offshore wind, Advanced Conversion Technologies and tidal stream
  • Pot 3: Offshore wind
• former coal-burning power stations that have been converted to biomass generation will be excluded from future CfD rounds
• Contracts for Difference are 15-year private law contracts between renewable electricity generators and the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC), a government-owned company that manages CfDs at arm’s length from government
• contracts are awarded in a series of competitive auctions, known as allocation rounds, which have been run every 2 years. In the auction process, the lowest price bids are successful, which drives efficiency and cost reduction
• CfDs give greater certainty and stability of revenues to electricity generators by reducing their exposure to volatile wholesale prices, while protecting consumers from paying for higher costs when electricity prices are high
• the scheme has delivered substantial new investment and helped deliver significant reductions in the costs of capital for some renewable technologies
• the third round of the CfD renewable energy auction delivered record-low prices on enough clean energy to power over 7 million homes
• in the fourth allocation round of CfD, the government’s aim is to support up to double the capacity of renewable energy from levels achieved in the third round, rising from 5.8GW in AR3 to up to 12GW in AR4
• following the conclusion of the third CfD Allocation Round in September 2019, the scheme currently supports 49 renewable electricity projects (73 CfDs) across a range of technologies, totalling around 15.5 GW

Thank you Ambassador Ladeb, for that comprehensive briefing on behalf of the three Committees, and to Ambassador Djani for his stewardship of the 1267 and 1540 Committees. As we all adapt to new working conditions, we greatly appreciate the efforts made to deliver on these critical mandates during this disrupted period.

Madam President, despite COVID, terrorists continue to inspire and perpetrate violence. In Syria, Iraq and beyond, Daesh continues to pose a threat, and recovery from their reign of terror remains a struggle for many.

The United Kingdom is committed to pursuing all available avenues in seeking justice and accountability for those who have fought alongside Daesh, whatever their nationality, through prosecution in the most appropriate jurisdiction. This is often in the region where the crimes took place. Any justice mechanism must respect human rights and the rule of law, as well as ensure fair trials and due process.

To strengthen accountability for terrorist crimes, we continue to work through the 1267 Committee to sanction individuals and groups associated with Daesh and Al-Qaida.

We also strongly support the work of UNITAD and in June, with Nadia Murad, we launched the draft Murad Code to ensure investigation into sexual violence crimes is safe, ethical and effective. There must be no impunity for the use of sexual violence and human trafficking to fund and support terrorism.

The United Kingdom condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We are very concerned about the increased violence perpetrated by right wing terrorists. While we may use different terms to describe the phenomenon, we join like-minded partners in recognising the need to prevent and address the threat.

Since 2016, we have proscribed several right wing terrorist groups, like National Action, Feuerkrieg Division and Sonnenkrieg Division. We are pleased to partner with the United States, Germany and Norway in hosting events bringing together policymakers, researchers and practitioners to increase understanding of the international dimensions of the threat, and emerging responses.

Prevention remains a cornerstone of our approach to counter terrorism. The UK’s Prevent programme seeks to tackle the causes of radicalisation and we have seen a marked increase – from 10 per cent to 24 per cent – in referrals relating to right-wing terrorism.

As more people – especially young people – are staying home and spending time on screens, terrorist groups have increased opportunities to radicalise and recruit online. The United Kingdom is working closely with tech companies, including through the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism, and with international partners, law enforcement and industry to coordinate our efforts.

Madam Chair, this Council has frequently affirmed that all counterterrorism measures must comply with international human rights obligations. Promoting and protecting human rights, integrating a gender dimension and engaging with civil society partners are critical elements of credible, sustainable and effective counterterrorism.

The United Kingdom remains deeply concerned about the human rights violations being perpetrated against Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang. Culture and religion are severely restricted, and we have seen credible reports of forced labour and forced birth control. Staggeringly, up to 1.8 million people have been detained without trial. China’s actions are disproportionate, indiscriminate and will be counter-productive from a counterterrorism perspective, as they will exacerbate ethnic tensions.

Madam Chair, fifteen years ago, this Council adopted resolution 1540 to address emerging WMD threats. These persist and, indeed, have evolved. We therefore thank the states who have shared information with this Committee, some for the first time. We look forward to working with partners through the forthcoming Comprehensive Review to ensure that the work of the Committee remains both relevant and practical to addressing these threats.

The UK wishes to take this opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to other key elements of the disarmament and non-proliferation architecture, which are also critical to maintaining international security, such as the work of the IAEA, OPCW and others.

With the prospect of a vaccine, our thoughts turn to the process of building back better. This should be reflected in our CT efforts, too. In both the Security Council and in the General Assembly, we will have several opportunities to consider the UN’s counterterrorism efforts and the achievements of states and what more needs to be done. In terrorism, we have an enemy that does not rest. We must ensure that the architecture we helped develop remains fit for purpose and that we hold ourselves to the very standards we set out in our resolutions.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and my thanks to our briefers, to SRSG Swan, to Ambassador Madeira and also to Ms Hassan for that really useful and detailed update.

Madam President, regrettably, I must open on a sombre note because, despite the Secretary-General’s calls for a ceasefire, Al-Shabaab continue to launch their attacks. We strongly condemn all terrorist attacks, including the murder of two humanitarian workers just last month. The UK expresses its condolences to victims’ families and reaffirms its solidarity with Somalia in fighting terrorism. Let me reiterate, it is vital that all parties ensure unimpeded access and safety of aid workers in line with international humanitarian law.

Madam President, as we near the end of the current political cycle, I would like to reflect on Somalia’s progress. And there has been progress. In March this year, Somalia achieved Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) debt relief. They achieved this decision point after impressive economic performance and can now access new international finance. The federal government has increased its revenue base with international support. Somalia is making progress in building resilience to humanitarian shocks and, with support from AMISOM, the Somali National Army has taken back and held territory from Al-Shabaab.

This is a marathon, not a sprint. But at the moment, we are making progress.

As the electoral processes commence in Somalia, we acknowledge the federal government and member states’ agreement on an electoral model for 2020-21 and stress the importance of preserving this spirit of consensus. We now urge all stakeholders to work together to deliver an inclusive, timely and credible electoral process, which includes a 30 percent quota for women. And I want to just reiterate to Ms Hassan how useful it was to hear from her on how civil society’s activity on this is working to achieve this target, but also the challenges they still face.

Madam President, I want to express deep concern about the growing number of attacks on freedom of expression, including the killing, assault and intimidation of journalists. As Somalia prepares to hold an electoral process, Somali leaders must ensure political space remains open, allowing the expression of a diversity of voices.

Beyond this electoral process, commitment to effective federalism is critical for Somalia’s long-term stability. Building institutions of state and ensuring resources and power can be distributed in a way that best serves the Somali people. We urge Somalia’s leaders to set out their vision for steps towards an inclusive political settlement, finalising the constitution and ensuring direct elections in 2024-25. We encourage them to maximise the benefits of debt relief through better federal economic cooperation. And we urge Somalia’s leaders to continue to articulate a clear vision for the security transition after 2021.

As we enter the next political cycle, Somalia and the international community should recommit to principles of mutual accountability. The United Kingdom reaffirms its support and commitment to Somalia’s long-term stability and growth.

I turn again now to the security situation in Somalia, which remains a significant challenge. Firstly, I would like to restate our tribute to the continued commitment and sacrifices of AMISOM troop contributing countries and to Somalia’s security forces. We welcome the renewal of the Somalia sanctions regime and the international resolve to counter Al-Shabaab through tackling their access to arms and illicit finance.

We express deep concern about the worrying statistics on children and armed conflict and sexual and gender-based violence in Somalia. We welcome the tasking in the UNSOM and sanctions mandates to report on human rights. All tools must be used to ensure people do not suffer.

And we welcome also the efforts by the federal government to renew the Somalia Transition Plan. The deadline at the end of 2021 for Somalian authorities to take greater leadership from AMISOM is a momentous one. Our partners in the African Union and the AMISOM TCCs have made enormous sacrifices in supporting Somalia as it works to retake control of its own security. It is clear this support will be needed after 2021. But it’s also clear we have an opportunity to support AMISOM as it evolves towards a role where it can enable the Somalis to manage their own security.

International conversations, including the upcoming EU Conference on security and critically, the independent assessment mandated by this Council, are necessary for partners to reflect on how we can collectively implement Somalia’s security vision. I encourage constructive engagement with these processes as we come to a new mandate next year.

Finally, Madam President, Somalia faces a protracted climate and conflict-induced humanitarian crisis, compounded by what SRSG Swan called the “triple shock” of COVID-19, locusts and floods. The United Kingdom gave 64 million pounds in humanitarian aid in the last financial year to Somalia. We call on the international community to provide more funding for the humanitarian response and efforts to build long-term resilience.

In conclusion, I want to emphasise three points. Firstly, a united international response is crucial to supporting Somalia and its fight against protracted humanitarian crises. Secondly, I reiterate our call for the federal government to ensure the agreed electoral process is inclusive, credible and timely. And finally, that Somalia’s long-term peace and stability depends on a clear plan for ensuring its security, a political vision for better federal cooperation, and continued international support and commitment to mutual accountability.

Thank you, Madam President.

It seems that almost every week we learn of some new scientific breakthrough to help us beat Covid

last week it was good news about the vaccine from Pfizer BioNTech

and then Moderna

This morning we heard the fantastic news that the Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccine has been highly effective in clinical trials

there are more tests to be done, but the signs are that this vaccine

• financed partly by British taxpayers, working in partnership with a great British company –

This vaccine could be both affordable and easy to use and highly effective

We have ordered 100m doses

and thanks to the work of the Vaccines Task Force we have secured more than 350m doses of potential vaccines of all kinds

but we are not out of the woods yet

we can hear the drumming hooves of the cavalry coming over the brow of the hill

but they are not here yet

Even if all three vaccines are approved, even if the production timetables are met and vaccines notoriously fall behind in their production timetables

it will be months before we can be sure that we have inoculated everyone that needs a vaccine

and those months will be hard

they will be cold

they include January and February when the NHS is under its greatest pressure

and that is why when we come out of lockdown next week we must not just throw away the gains we have all made

So today we have published out Covid Winter Plan which sets out a clear strategy to take the country through to the end of March

We will continue to bear down hard on this virus

we will use tough tiering – in some ways tougher than the pre-lockdown measures and details of those tiers are on the gov.uk website later this week when we have the most up to data and we will be sharing details of which tier your area is going to be in

I should warn you now that many more places will be in higher tiers than alas was previously the case

and we will simultaneously be using the new and exciting possibilities of community testing – as they have done in Liverpool

and there will be a clear incentive for everyone in areas where the virus prevalence is high to get a test, to get one of these rapid turnaround lateral flow tests and do your best for the community

get a test to help to squeeze the disease and reduce the restrictions that your town or city or area has endured

and that way – through tough tiering and mass community testing

we hope to let people see a little more of their family and friends over Christmas

Now I know that many of us want and need Christmas with our families

we feel after this year we deserve it

but this is not the moment to let the virus rip for the sake of Christmas parties

tis the season to be jolly but tis also the season to be jolly careful

especially with elderly relatives

and working with the Devolved Administrations we will set out shortly how we want to get the balance right for Christmas and we will be setting this out later this week

Christmas this year will be different and we want to remain prudent through Christmas and beyond into the new year

but we will use the three tools that I have described to squeeze the virus in the weeks and months ahead

tiering, testing and the roll-out of vaccines

employing all three techniques together so as to drive down R and drive down the infection rate

and I really am now assured things really will look and feel very different indeed after Easter

and that idea of and end goal or date is important because at last – if the promise of the vaccines is fulfilled – we do have something to work for

a timescale, a goal around which businesses can begin tentatively to plan

and with luck and with hard work we will be seeing improvements before then

but for now the problem is not a shortage of hope

or a lack of optimism

not with the amazing news that we are getting from the laboratories in this country

the challenge now as we face this difficult winter ahead

is to fight down any over-optimism

to master any tendency to premature celebration of success

that success will come all the faster if we work together to follow the guidance

maintain the basic disciplines as people have done so heroically over the last few months

hands, face, space and get a test if you have symptoms

because that is the way we will beat it together