To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to tackle the potential security threat posed by Chinese state-linked companies in the Government supply chain.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to tackle the potential security threat posed by Chinese state-linked companies in the Government supply chain.

The Procurement Act 2023 introduces new powers to exclude and debar suppliers from public sector contracts if they pose a national security risk. To implement these powers, the Cabinet Office has established the new National Security Unit for Procurement, responsible for investigating suppliers on national security grounds, both within the government supply chain and for the wider public sector.

We have also taken action to remove surveillance equipment supplied by companies subject to the National Intelligence Law of China from sensitive government sites. A timeline for removal was published on 29 April 2024. The Cabinet Office is monitoring progress against this timeline and departments are on track to replace all such equipment by April 2025.