Huawei 5G decision left to new PM

A FINAL decision on the role Huawei can play in building Britain’s 5G mobile networks will be left to the new prime minister, MPS were told last night.

Jeremy Wright, the Culture and Digital Secretary said it would be wrong to make specific decisions on Huawei while the US position on the Chinese company remained unclear.

“These measures could have a potential impact on the future availability and reliability of Huawei’s products, together with other market impacts, and so are relevant considerations in determining Huawei’s involvement in the network,” he told the Commons.

Mr Wright said he had sought clarity on the “extent and implications” of recent US moves to block Huawei, referring to the decision earlier this year to blacklist the Chinese company, before appearing to row back by agreeing to allow American companies to sell some parts to Huawei.

This meant the Government could not yet decide how much “involvement Huawei should have in the provision of the UK’S 5G network”, Mr Wright added.

However, he said it would be “unnecessary and unwise

to delay the introduction of the remainder of the Telecoms Supply Chain Review’s Conclusions”, given 5G services will be launched this year.

The review, released last night, set out plans to establish a new framework, requiring telecoms operators to assess and manage risks from their suppliers “appropriately” and giving Ofcom more powers.

It also encouraged networks to use multiple suppliers – a recommendation welcomed by security experts. Professor Alan Woodward of the University of Surrey said: “Having a single vendor would be bonkers.”

However, Dr Andrew Foxall, director of research at the Henry Jackson Society, said: “This does little but kick the can down the road. This Government has had months to make its decision, but it has failed to use one of its last acts to protect British security.”

Victor Zhang, Huawei vice-president, said: “The Government’s supply chain review gives us confidence that we can continue to work with network operators to roll-out 5G across the UK.”

Huawei has repeatedly denied all claims that it poses a security threat.