National Cyber Security Centre doesn't need its own minister, UK.gov tells Parliament

The British government has rejected Parliamentary calls for greater ministerial control over the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), an arm of secretive spy agency GCHQ.
In addition, the government affirmed that it will actively try to remain a part of the EU's Networks and Information Systems Co-operation Group, as well as its "associated work streams, and with the network of Computer Security Incident Response Teams" after Britain leaves the EU, which is currently set for the end of this month.
The news will come as a relief to those who believe British national security is under threat if EU sources of cybersecurity information are closed off to the UK after Brexit.
In its response to a House of Commons report (PDF) about the security of UK critical national infrastructure (CNI), the government said that the current oversight setup for the NCSC, where it answers to the Foreign Secretary via a long chain of officials and ministers, is "the most effective way of achieving our vision of cyber security as a core, embedded part of Government policy for every CNI sector".
Parliament's Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy had previously criticised the government for not having a Cabinet Office minister dedicated to overseeing the NCSC, as well as Britain's CNI infosec improvement efforts.
The government also refused, in its response to Parliament published yesterday, to produce annual reports into how the National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP) was being delivered. These reports were something that the previous Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government led by David Cameron was happy to do. Parliament described this refusal as "a backwards step, given that the previous Government published Annual Reports and high-level budget breakdowns by activity".
Although £1.9bn of taxpayers' money is spent on that strategy every year, the government refuses to tell the public what its money is being spent on because of "national security reasons", though it did add that a National Audit Office report into the NCSP will be published later this year.
UK CNI companies are "ultimately responsible" for the security of those installations, said the government's response to Parliament. It appears that the tension between those who believe the government should directly run cybersecurity efforts and those who believe industry knows best what measures need to be taken has yet to be resolved. For now, the government sides with the latter half of the argument. But a bone has been thrown to those who think the state knows best.
It said: "We note the recommendation regarding mandatory corporate reporting on cyber resilience, and will give this further consideration, building on analysis undertaken as part of the 2016 Cyber Security Regulation and Incentives Review. The government agrees that cyber insurance has a part to play in reducing cyber risk."
Separately from the report response, the government also quietly reiterated that it has a controversial "hack back" unit at its fingertips.
"Britain now has a National Offensive Cyber Programme, delivered by a Joint Mission between GCHQ and the Ministry of Defence," said foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, who was giving a speech in Glasgow, Scotland yesterday.
source theregister
Industry: Cyber Security News

Latest Jobs
-
- Identity Channel Partner Manager | London
- London
- N/A
-
Identity Channel Partner Manager | London Location: South East UK (commutable to London) We are working with a Cyber Security business who are looking for a Channel Partner Manager to drive and grow relationships across their identity ecosystem. Prior experience working within VARs, distributors, vendors or resellers in the identity space is essential. You must have experience working with technologies such as CyberArk, Sailpoint, Okta etc Responsibilities will include, but not be limited to: Build, maintain and develop strong relationships with channel partners. Work closely with partner sales teams to support growth drive sales opportunities. Identify and onboard new partners while strengthening existing partnerships. Act as the key point of contact for all channel-related activity. If you are an experienced channel professional, with experience in the Identity space and are ready for your next challenge, apply today.
-
- Service Architect- DACH regions
- Germany
- Upto €110,000 plus bonus and benefits
-
Lead Service Architect with the authority and experience to take control of complex, multi-million-euro outsourcing bids. This role is about leading the Service/ solutioning effort, bringing structure to chaos, and driving the entire bid team to deliver winning proposals. The company area a global managed services business working with enterprise and public sector clients, across Cloud, End-User Computing, Digital Workplace, Service Desk, and Network Infrastructure. What You’ll Do: Lead Service/ solution design from qualification to contract. Control bid teams — architects, pricing, delivery, and SMEs. Break down RFPs/RFIs into actionable, costed, client-ready solutions. Present internally and to clients at decision-maker level. Run solution workshops, own the architecture, and shape the financial model. You’ll Need: Experience working as a Service architect, Service Manager or Customer Success Manager R Gravitas to lead and drive teams through high-stakes bids. Deep knowledge of managed services delivery and commercial models. Strong technical grasp: Cloud, Security, EUC, Unified Comms, Service Desk, and more. Experience leading deals across onshore, offshore, and hybrid delivery models.
-
- Deal Architect- DACH region
- Germany
- Upto €110,000 plus bonus and benefits
-
Lead Deal Architect with the authority and experience to take control of complex, multi-million-euro outsourcing bids. This role is about leading the solutioning/ Service effort, bringing structure to chaos, and driving the entire bid team to deliver winning proposals. The company is a global managed services business providing solutions to enterprise and public sector clients, across Cloud, End-User Computing, Digital Workplace, Service Desk, and Network Infrastructure. What You’ll Do: Lead the deal from qualification to contract. Control bid teams — architects, pricing, delivery, and SMEs. Break down RFPs/RFIs into actionable, costed, client-ready solutions. Present internally and to clients at decision-maker level. Run solution workshops, own the architecture, and shape the financial model. Be responsible for the service Wrap and ensuring the Service meets clients requirements You’ll Need: A back ground with IT Services Experience in a similar type of role, for example: Deal, Service, or Solution Architect in ICT outsourcing. Gravitas to lead and drive teams through high-stakes bids. Deep knowledge of managed services delivery and commercial models. Strong technical knowledge: Cloud, Security, EUC, Unified Comms, Service Desk, and more. Experience leading deals across onshore, offshore, and hybrid delivery models.
-
- Pre Sales Lead- IT Services
- Germany
- Upto €100,000 plus benefits
-
As the Pre-Sales Lead (Sales Engineer/ Solution Architect) you will drive large-scale ICT managed services and outsourcing deals (from €0.5M to €20M+). You'll work directly with Business Development and clients to design high-impact solutions across Cloud (Azure, IaaS, SaaS, PaaS), EUC, Unified Comms, Security (SIEM, PAM), Networks, and Smart Workplaces. What You’ll Do: Lead the end-to-end pre-sales cycle — from RFI/RFP to contract. Design innovative, client-specific solutions with technical & commercial impact. Present at CxO level and steer proposal strategies & financial models. Collaborate closely with Portfolio, Service Desk, Field, and Digital Workplace teams. Support deal shaping with strong knowledge of ITIL, SIAM, Automation, and cost analysis. What You’ll Bring: Have strong experience in pre-sales or solution architecture. Experience with €M+ managed service deals. Deep technical expertise in modern ICT stack and enterprise IT services. Strong German (C1) and English communication skills. Certifications: ITIL v3/v4 required; SIAM, ISO20000 desirable.