The development of 5G networks will increase the UK’s dependency on mobile connectivity, opening the country up to security risks such as espionage, sabotage or system failure, according to a report from the Commons defence select committee.

The report compiled by MPs assesses key challenges for the UK’s cyber security and telecommunications networks as the UK moves towards the roll out of 5G infrastructure.

Its publication comes after the government banned UK telecommunications companies from buying new 5G equipment from Chinese telecoms giant Huawei over security concerns, with Huawei equipment to be removed from networks.

The decision had been taken after UK allies including the US accused the company of providing a ‘back door’ to Chinese government surveillance - an allegation vehemently denied by Huawei.

In the landmark decision, Oliver Dowden, the secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, said the move would delay the rollout of high speed 5G networks by one year.

The committee found that there is currently a lack of global rules regulating international cyber attacks and the government should be working with allies to formulate a system to provide accountability for perpetrators.

The UK’s closest allies within the Five Eyes intelligence alliance - Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States - originally embarked on a policy to 5G infrastructure that was at odds with the UK’s approach to 5G, the committee found, and the government “should have considered the potential damage to key alliances”, with the US strongly opposing Huawei’s involvement in 5G infrastructure.

The committee concluded that this alone was enough of a concern to begin removing Huawei from the UK’s 5G network.

The committee said it supported the proposal to form a D10 alliance, consisting of 10 of the world’s largest democracies, to provide alternatives to Chinese technology and to combat the “technological dominance of authoritarian states”, adding that the UK government must act swiftly and outline a joint 5G policy as soon as possible.

A statement read: “The government must continue to denounce and deter threats from adversarial states, such as Russia and China, on the international stage. The committee call on the government to clarify why it is not deploying a cyberattack capability to deter aggressors.”

The report also stated that the current regulatory situation for network security is outdated and unsatisfactory. The planned Telecoms Security Bill is required to bring regulations up to date and to allow the government to compel operators to act in the interests of national security, it read.

“The current situation has led to commercial concerns trumping those of national security, which is unacceptable,” the report continued, adding: “The government should not allow a situation where short-term commercial considerations are placed ahead of those for national security and defence.”

It called for the government to enhance its regulatory powers and introduce the Telecoms Security Bill before 31 December.

Chairman of the Commons defence committee, Tobias Ellwood, said: “Protecting
the public and preserving our nation’s security are amongst the principle responsibilities of government - the decision to embed a technology that compromises this would constitute a gross dereliction of these duties.

“The West must urgently unite to advance a counterweight to China’s tech dominance, as every aspect of our lives becomes increasingly reliant on access to data movement we must develop a feasible, practical and cost-effective alternative to the cheap, high tech solutions which can be preyed upon and which come stooped with conditions which ensnare a state into long-term allegiance to China”

He added: “We must not surrender our national security for the sake of short-term technological development; this is a false and wholly unnecessary trade off."

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