UK Security Minister Dan Jarvis used a speech to the International Security Expo on 30 September 2026 to set out the government's cyber, artificial intelligence and counter-drone work, saying a National Cyber Action Plan will follow the Cyber Action Plan published earlier this year. The technology measures were part of a wider speech that also covered borders, terrorism legislation, fraud and the security industry's regulation.
Cyber policy: an action plan and a bill
Jarvis said the government published the Cyber Action Plan earlier this year, backed by more than £210 million of investment, with the aim of strengthening the resilience of public services and improving the country's ability to respond to cyber incidents, including ransomware.
He said this will soon be followed by NCAP, the National Cyber Action Plan, which he said will bring industry and the private sector within scope.
Alongside that, according to the minister, the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, referred to in the speech as the CSRB, will deliver what he described as the most significant update to the UK's cyber regulatory framework for years. Jarvis also said the government has established a new Online Crime Centre bringing together law enforcement, intelligence agencies, banks, communications providers and technology companies to identify and dismantle fraud networks at scale, following the 2026 to 2029 Fraud Strategy published in March with over £250 million of investment.
AI, procurement and sovereign capability
Jarvis said that in April the government launched a £500 million Sovereign AI Fund, with what he called a clear message that the UK must be "an AI maker, not just an AI taker". He said the objective is to ensure strategically important AI companies start, scale and remain in the UK rather than being acquired or moving overseas.
The minister said he is proud that the UK is home to one of the world's leading AI Security Institutes.
On procurement, he said the government announced new measures this year including dedicated National Security Procurement Leads, intended to use part of the annual £400 billion spent on public procurement to strengthen resilience, support British industry and protect critical supply chains. The government has already confirmed that British-founded firms have secured billions of pounds of additional public contracts under this approach, he said.
Jarvis listed artificial intelligence, cyber security, secure communications, counter-drone capability, next-generation screening and detection, and advanced data analytics as strategic capabilities for the United Kingdom.
Drones and detection capabilities
The minister said that in June he opened what he described as Europe's biggest drone testing centre, intended to drive autonomous innovation, support SMEs, boost exports and create jobs. He added that as the drone threat evolves, the government continues to invest in specialist police counter-drone capabilities.
He also pointed to the National Canine Training and Accreditation Scheme, launched in April as a single national centre for accrediting private-sector explosives detection dog teams, saying some of the most effective security capabilities still run on four legs.
Sector size and exports
Jarvis said the UK's security and resilience sector generates £27.6 billion in annual turnover and supports almost 150,000 jobs, with more than half of sector jobs located outside London.
Exports reached £12.9 billion in 2024, he said, accounting for roughly half of all sector revenue and placing the UK third globally for market share after the United States and China. He said the Home Office is working with the diplomatic network and the newly expanded Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade to help UK companies compete internationally, including on contracts linked to Morocco's preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
What to do
- Security suppliers can engage the Joint Security and Resilience Centre (JSaRC), which Jarvis said exists to listen, understand and help create pathways for innovation and partnership.
- Organizations with an interest in security industry regulation can speak directly to the Security Industry Authority and the Security Guarding Leadership Group (S12), both represented at the expo, the minister said.
- Companies seeking international opportunities can use the Home Office Security and Policing event in March, which Jarvis said draws hundreds of exhibitors and delegations from dozens of countries.
Key facts and where they come from
- The Cyber Action Plan is backed by more than £210 million of investment and targets public service resilience and incident response, including ransomware.
Backed by more than £210 million pounds of investment, our aim is to strengthen the resilience of public services and improve our ability to respond to cyber incidents, including ransomware.
- A National Cyber Action Plan (NCAP) will follow and bring industry and the private sector within scope.
This will soon be followed by NCAP – the National Cyber Action Plan – bringing industry and the private sector within scope.
- The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill is described as the biggest update to UK cyber regulation in years.
the CSRB, the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, will deliver the most significant update to the UK’s cyber regulatory framework for years.
- A £500 million Sovereign AI Fund was launched in April.
In April, we launched a £500 million Sovereign AI Fund with a clear message that the UK must be “an AI maker, not just an AI taker”.
- A new Online Crime Centre brings together law enforcement, intelligence agencies, banks, communications providers and technology companies.
we have established a new Online Crime Centre, bringing together law enforcement, intelligence agencies, banks, communications providers and technology companies to identify and dismantle fraud networks at scale
- National Security Procurement Leads are intended to leverage the annual £400 billion of public procurement spending.
the introduction of dedicated National Security Procurement Leads, to leverage some of the annual £400 billion pounds spent on public procurement
- Europe's biggest drone testing centre opened in June, according to the minister.
in June, I was able to open Europe’s biggest drone testing centre to drive autonomous innovation, support SMEs, boost exports and create jobs
- The UK security and resilience sector generates £27.6 billion turnover and supports almost 150,000 jobs.
The UK’s security and resilience sector now generates £27.6 billion in annual turnover, supports almost 150,000 jobs
- Sector exports reached £12.9 billion in 2024, ranking the UK third globally after the US and China.
exports reached £12.9 billion in 2024 – accounting for roughly half of all sector revenue – and positioning the UK third globally for market share, after the US and China