UK will keep Huawei out of ‘critical national infrastructure’, culture secretary Nicky Morgan says

The UK will keep Huawei Technologies out of “critical national infrastructure”, culture secretary Nicky Morgan said, as the government weighs up whether the Chinese company can play a role in developing the country’s 5G telecommunications networks.

A final decision will come later his month, according to two officials familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named discussing the sensitive issue.

Morgan’s comments to Bloomberg are her strongest signal yet that Huawei will be barred from the most sensitive parts of the UK’s 5G telecommunications networks – though the term can also refer to a broader range of assets including power plants and emergency services. Prime Minister Boris Johnson hinted this week he is preparing to allow Huawei to supply at least some equipment for the next-generation broadband networks, even in the face of strong pressure for a ban from the US.

“I just want to make it very clear, Huawei will not be involved in our critical national infrastructure,” Morgan told Bloomberg Television on Wednesday. “The security, the safety of that infrastructure is absolutely paramount when the government is going to be making that decision.”

The UK must balance the demands of its allies, especially the US, who say allowing the Chinese company to be involved in 5G networks presents a security risk, with its domestic priorities of accelerating the roll-out of faster broadband.

“5G is very important – and the roll-out of 5G – in terms of encouraging tech companies to be based here, so there are a number of different factors in making that decision,” Morgan said. “Huawei already have a part that they are playing in our 4G and 5G networks.”