Cybersecurity: Trade Competitiveness

The Home Office is committed to ensuring the Computer Misuse Act 1990 (CMA) remains effective and up to date. Following a review of the CMA, which included a call for information and public consultation, this Government has committed to reforming the cyber landscape. This will include providing law enforcement with updated powers and capabilities and unlocking the power of industry to protect computer systems. We are working with industry to refine proposals as well as engaging with international counterparts to understand their legislative approaches.

To tackle cybercrime the Home Office works with our partners across Government and law enforcement, including the National Crime Agency, National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and Policing. The Home Office funds the Regional Cyber Crime Units (RCCUs) across England and Wales, tasked with investigating and pursuing serious cyber offenders conducting crime committed in, or against, the UK. Since 2017, in partnership with local Police and Crime Commissioners, the Home Office has also directly funded a national network of local specialist officers trained to investigate cybercrime and support local communities in efforts to prevent crimes that occur online.

In March, the Government launched its Fraud Strategy. It sets out how we will work with law enforcement and the private sector to shut down the methodologies and infrastructure that criminals use, including phishing. This includes establishing the Online Crime Centre (OCC), backed by over £30 million of investment, to bring together policing, the UK Intelligence Community and industry partners to disrupt fraud at scale.