Thank you very much, thank you kindly for your welcome great to see you and great to be here again in Tapa, this very important mission.

NATO is perhaps unique in the history of defence alliances because it has stood for over 70 years, not for aggression but for peace and stability.

During those years the alliance has been tested many times – in the Cold War, in the Balkans, in Afghanistan.

This matters because the world has become a more dangerous and a more contested place.

A few short days ago we first stood witness to scenes we hoped we would never see again on the continent of Europe.

A sovereign democratic people fighting for their lives against a foe who wishes to subjugate them by force.

As we realised the terrible extent of President Putin’s ambitions.

The world has been rightly united in praise for the valour and bravery of the Ukrainian people, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

And I expect, like colleagues here, I have had the privilege of speaking to President Zelenskyy virtually every day since the Russian invasion and have heard first-hand his sheer determination that the freedom his people have experienced must not be snatched away.

And, indeed, it is clearer day by day from the way the Ukrainians are responding, President Putin has made a disastrous miscalculation.

His troops have not been welcomed into Ukraine, as he prophesied, and instead the Ukrainians have mounted an astonishing and tenacious resistance.

We as the international community have a responsibility to do everything we can to help the Ukrainians in their efforts.

And that is why the UK has trained 22,000 members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and why we have provided further defensive military support to Ukraine.

And we have a responsibility to all Ukrainians, that is why the UK has provided £140 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine and to the region.

It’s why we have deployed both humanitarian experts and hundreds of military logistics experts to Ukraine’s neighbours to help them shelter those seeking sanctuary on their shores.

And it’s why we have announced the first phase of a bespoke humanitarian route for the people of Ukraine to come to the UK.

It is also why, alongside allies across the world, the UK has swiftly executed the biggest package of sanctions ever imposed against a G20 nation.

And we’ve seen organisations from banks to oil companies, to football leagues, to singing competitions make it clear that Putin and his regime must be isolated from the international community for his actions.

As we support the people of Ukraine, we must also shore up our shared resilience – both to protect our people and our values.

These are nothing more than defensive measures – which have been the essence of the NATO for more than 70 years.

I want to be crystal clear finally on that point. We will not fight Russian forces in Ukraine, and our reinforcements – like these reinforcements here in Tapa – are firmly within the borders of NATO members and they are profoundly the right thing to do.

• New regulations and code proposed to raise telecoms security standards
• Will set out what telecoms providers must do to protect their networks and services
• Public consultation launched today on the proposals

Mobile and broadband networks will be better protected from cyber attacks under stronger security rules for telecoms companies proposed by the government.

The Telecommunications (Security) Act became law in November last year and puts much stronger legal duties on public telecoms providers to defend their networks from cyber threats which could cause network failure or the theft of sensitive data.

The government has today launched a public consultation on draft regulations, which outline the specific measures telecoms providers would need to take to fulfil their legal duties under the Act, and a draft code of practice on how providers can comply with the regulations.

The proposed measures and guidance, developed with the National Cyber Security Centre, aim to embed good security practices in providers’ long term investment decisions and the day-to-day running of their networks and services.

Under the draft regulations telecoms providers will be legally required to:

• protect data stored by their networks and services, and secure the critical functions which allow them to be operated and managed;
• protect tools which monitor and analyse their networks and services against access from hostile state actors;
• monitor public networks to identify potentially dangerous activity and have a deep understanding of their security risks, reporting regularly to internal boards; and
• take account of supply chain risks, and understand and control who has the ability to access and make changes to the operation of their networks and services.

Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez said:

Broadband and mobile networks are crucial to life in Britain and that makes them a prime target for cyber criminals.

Our proposals will embed the highest security standards in our telecoms industry with heavy fines for any companies failing in their duties.

The consultation seeks views on plans to place telecoms providers into three ‘tiers’ via a new code of practice according to size and importance to UK connectivity. This will ensure steps to be taken under the code are applied proportionately and do not put an undue burden on smaller companies.

Currently, telecoms providers are responsible by law for setting their own security standards in their networks. But the Telecoms Supply Chain Review carried out by the government 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 created the Telecommunications (Security) Act to strengthen the overarching legal duties on providers of UK public telecoms networks and services as a way of incentivising better security practices.

Companies which fail to comply could face fines of up to ten per cent of turnover or, in the case of a continuing contravention, £100,000 per day. Ofcom will monitor and assess the security of telecoms providers.

NCSC Technical Director Dr Ian Levy said:

Modern telecoms networks are no longer just critical national infrastructure, they are central to our lives and our economy.

As our dependence on them grows, we need confidence in their security and reliability which is why I welcome these proposed regulations to fundamentally change the baseline of telecoms security.

The NCSC has worked closely with DCMS and industry to propose and advise on the most effective measures that telecoms operators can take to ensure the resilience of UK broadband and mobile networks, now and into the future.

ENDS

Notes to editors

As part of the consultation, the government is particularly interested in feedback on:

• the specific measures set out in the draft regulations and draft code of practice;
• the proposed tiering system set out in the draft code of practice, which is intended to ensure it is implemented appropriately and proportionately;
• the proposed timescales to phase-in new measures in the draft code of practice; and
• the ways in which the draft code of practice and the draft regulations account for older, legacy equipment that is due to be phased out.

The consultation on the draft code of practice meets the requirement under section 105F in the Communications Act 2003 (as amended by the Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021) to consult with affected parties on the draft code of practice. The Government has chosen to consult on the draft regulations at the same time. This does not necessarily mean that future decisions to make, or vary, the regulations will be subject to similar consultation.

The Government will consider responses to the consultation to inform final policy decisions on the regulations and code of practice. The final regulations and the final code of practice will be laid in Parliament, as required by the Communications Act 2003 (as amended by the Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021).

The consultation will close on 10 May. The new regulations and code of practice are expected to come into force later this year.

The Minister for Agri-innovation and Climate Adaptation Jo Churchill has set out the UK Government’s ambition to boost innovation and technology in agriculture during a visit to the UAE.

Building on the legacy of the COP26 UK Presidency – which outlined agriculture and food systems as a major priority for the climate agenda – and looking towards COP28 hosted by the UAE, Minister Churchill highlighted the importance of investment in new technologies to advance sustainable food production, particularly as global demand for food is predicted to rise by 40% by 2030.

Speaking at the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate and at the Food for Future Summit last week, the Minister outlined the need to unlock investment and partnerships to boost innovation which will support farmers and growers to produce food that is more nutritious, adaptive to climate change and resistant to disease.

As part of the visit, the Minister toured some of the most remarkable examples of low-impact and high-tech food production sites in UAE, such as the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture, an international research centre working on food security and sustainable livelihoods for communities living in marginal environments. The Minister also visited Jubail Mangrove Park to see first-hand how nature-based solutions can contribute to tackling climate change.

During her visit, Minister Churchill stressed the importance for countries like the UK and the UAE to share their knowledge in the agri-innovation field to fast-track global climate ambitions. The UK has one of the most highly regarded agricultural technology sectors in the world – from horticulture with vertical growing systems and water conservation techniques, to aquaculture with precision farm management techniques which use sensors to optimise fish health and growth.

Investment in technology and innovation is central to the UK Government’s effort to support farmers to increase the profitability of their business with less impact on the environment. That is why a range of Defra funds are available to support this ambition, including the Farming Innovation Programme and the Farming Investment Fund.

Minister for Agri-innovation and Climate Adaptation Jo Churchill said:

Agriculture and food systems are a major priority for the global climate agenda, and science and innovation play a critical role in supporting the agri-food industry to overcome the challenges posed by climate change and rising food demand.

Action in this decade is paramount. We have to maintain the momentum gained at COP26 and translate commitments into action – making climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture the most attractive and widely adopted option for farmers everywhere by 2030.

The UK Government has also established the Gilbert Initiative to help transform climate-resilient food systems through research and innovation. The initiative is a cross-Government commitment supported by FCDO, Defra, BEIS, DIT and UKRI to help address some of the biggest global challenges in food systems. This includes supporting a food system that by 2030 feeds 9 billion people with nutritious, safe food; enhancing resilience and adaptation to climate change; using environmental resources sustainably; and generating inclusive growth and jobs.

Last November, the UK saw 197 countries come together at COP26 to forge the landmark Glasgow Climate Pact, helping ensure a better world for future generations. In addition, the UK Government launched the Breakthrough Agenda, which includes an Agriculture Breakthrough, designed to promote the uptake of technological, climate resilient and sustainable agriculture practices. The UK wants to use the Breakthrough Agenda to accelerate global progress in this decade of action, by driving collaboration across leading initiatives such as AIM4Climate in support of climate-resilient, sustainable food systems.

The commitments sealed at COP26 sit alongside the UK’s domestic Net Zero strategy which sets out an ambition for 75% of farmers in England to uptake low carbon practices by 2030. Furthermore, through the new environment land management schemes, farmers and land managers will be rewarded for delivering environmental benefits alongside profitable food production, creating space for nature and enhancing animal welfare.