B

Baroness Harding of Winscombe (Con)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 3 September 2026

Debate

Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill

Contribution

My Lords, I have listened really carefully to the Minister and thank her for her response, but I feel that we just had a completely black and white no, which is extremely disappointing. We have had something almost worse than a black and white no, because if I heard her correctly—I will need to go back and read it again—I think she has added uncertainty, because suggesting that it is okay because regulators have the ability to ask for extra reporting is a company’s worst nightmare. What you want is really clear black and white guardrails, as we have been trying to introduce in these amendments. I had hoped that we could have follow-up discussions between now and Report, but I feel like the door has been rather slammed in my face. I would be very keen to understand, as the noble Lord, Lord Clement-Jones, has just said, what consultation has really happened and to have a recognition that you need to consult organisations that have experienced a substantial cyber attack. If an organisation has not, then I am afraid it will want to keep quiet and will not want to report anything. It is easy to ask broad groups of organisations, “Would you like more reporting?” We all know what the answer to that would be. That is an easy consultation. I would really value more detailed discussions with the Minister and her officials between now and Report, because I feel that we will come back to this, particularly given the support that my amendments have received from across the Committee, for which I am extremely grateful. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

More from Baroness Harding of Winscombe (Con)

Other recent Hansard contributions by the same speaker.

About Hansard

Hansard is the official verbatim record of proceedings in the UK Parliament. Every word spoken in the Commons and Lords is recorded and published — this page is a single contribution from that record.