Government to consider common resilience standard for critical infrastructure

The government will consider what owners and operators of critical national infrastructure, like energy and water networks, must do to develop a common standard of resilience against attacks, No. 10 Downing Street has said in its new integrated review of security.

The energy security section of 100-page document, which outlined the government’s post-Brexit foreign policy and defence vision, stated that ensuring the supply of “secure, affordable and clean” power is “essential” to the UK’s national interests.

And it warned that the UK’s energy infrastructure remains an “attractive target for attacks by states and non-state actors such as terrorists and criminals”.

As part of what the paper described as an “increased commitment” to security and resilience, the review says the government will start developing a comprehensive national resilience strategy this year.

The priorities in this strategy will establish a “whole-of-society” approach to resilience via an integrated approach that brings together all levels of government, the wider private sector, civil society and the public.

This will include considering the “scope and responsibilities” of the owners and operators of critical national infrastructure assets to ensure a consistent standard of resilience standard across sectors key to the functioning of the UK’s wider economy and society.

Besides decarbonising the UK’s energy system, the paper said the government will support efforts to ensure European gas security, seeking to avoid disruption which could have knock-on impact for prices and supply.

The review also identified tackling climate change and biodiversity as one of its key goals.

In his response to the prime minister’s announcement of the review in the House of Commons, Labour party opposition leader Keir Starmer criticised the Conservative government’s stance on Chinese investment in infrastructure, like CGN’s partnership with EDF to build the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant, over the past decade.

He said: “Conservative governments have spent 10 years turning a blind eye to human rights abuses while inviting China to help build our infrastructure. That basic inconsistency is now catching up with them.”

But the government had to strike a balance between safeguarding the UK’s strong trading relationship with China and protecting its security interests, Boris Johnson said: “We need to have a clear-eyed relationship with China.

“Of course, we are protecting our critical national infrastructure, and we will continue to do that, and we will make sure that through the National Security and Investment Bill we protect our intellectual property.”

The National Security and Investment Bill, fresh details of which were published last week, tightens up the rules on the sale of assets considered to be critical national infrastructure to overseas entities.