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Defence: Internet

Volume 489: debated on Tuesday 17 March 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role the UK has in (a) supporting and (b) participating in the work of the NATO Co-operative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence; and if he will make a statement. (263181)

The United Kingdom is fully supportive of this Estonian-hosted Cyber Defence initiative and their endeavours in this important area. However, given the need to co-ordinate Cyber Defence with a number of other Government Departments and Allies, the MOD’s preferred means of support is via virtual participation rather than attach personnel permanently to Estonia. The United Kingdom is not a founding signatory nation to this Centre of Excellence (CoE) but this position will be kept under review.

Both the Head of the MOD Defence Security and Safety Assurance organisation and a senior officer from the MOD’s Joint Security Co-ordination Centre (JSyCC) have visited the Co-operative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCD CoE) and have subsequently provided additional assistance to its development over the past two years.