Brian Sims
Editor
Brian Sims
Editor
THE NATIONAL Cyber Strategy outlines the potential for cyber security to drive growth across all sectors of the economy. To ensure effective support for this potential, the Government has asked Stephen McPartland MP to conduct an independent review into cyber security as an enabler of economic growth. That review is seeking views and evidence from across all sectors of the economy and other interested parties.
The Government’s stated ambition is to make the UK a science and technology ‘superpower’ and to prioritise economic growth. Exploiting the benefits of digital technology and data has been – and, what’s more, will continue to be – a key element of the UK’s economic growth. A thriving digital economy must have the right foundations in place, though, with security at its heart.
Cyber security includes any processes, practices or technologies that organisations have in place to secure their networks, computers, programs or the data they hold from damage, attack or unauthorised access. Organisations with good cyber security practices better protect their operations, intellectual property and customers from cyber attacks that can realise significant financial loss and business disruption.
Secure technology allows industry to make the most of digital technologies in order to grow and innovate confidently, while in parallel minimising threats and risks. It follows that a strong and innovative tech ecosystem is central to building a resilient and prosperous digital economy.
Government wants all organisations to be able to understand the cyber security products and services they need and also be able to access them. The UK has a strong and growing cyber security ecosystem, which is being supported to increase growth and exports and keep up with the increasing demand for cyber security products and services.
Building trust and resilience
Cyber security can be an enabler for building trust and resilience and unleashing economic growth. Trust in technology is necessary for the economy to embrace data and digital improvements fully.
With this in mind, the McPartland Review sets out to assess and highlight the economic benefits of effective cyber security for all sectors of the economy. This independent review aims to identify opportunities for improvement and make recommendations to Government on how to achieve further growth.
Revenue generated by the UK’s cyber security sector has nearly doubled from £5.7 billion in 2018 to over £10.5 billion last year, with an estimated 20,000 additional jobs created as a direct result.
The sector harbours huge potential for further significant growth in revenue and employment. The McPartland Review is, in essence, seeking views on how best to generate and harness this growth.
The review is seeking a range of views from a diverse set of stakeholders including businesses, public sector bodies and experts in different fields. Early evidence collected through the ‘Call for Views’ will inform a series of round table events involving key stakeholders, which the review aims to conduct throughout the remainder of March and early April.
Process for responding
In order to respond, interested parties are asked to complete the call for views survey. If you would like to submit your views directly to the Review Secretariat for Stephen McPartland MP’s consideration, send an e-mail to cyber.review@dsit.gov.uk
The survey is open until midnight on 28 March.
The review will realise a report including a set of recommendations which will be submitted to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology by 1 May. Government ministers will then decide on next steps.
