British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has reappointed Liz Lloyd as the UK's cybersecurity minister, signaling continuity in national cyber policy despite a significant governmental restructuring that abolished the department previously overseeing the brief. Lloyd, who has led on cyber issues since September 2025, will retain her role while holding junior posts at both the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the renamed Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (DBIST).
The reappointment is notable as it goes against the trend of Burnham's initial cabinet selections, which largely removed allies of his predecessor, Keir Starmer. Lloyd, a close associate of Starmer and his former director of policy delivery, sits in the House of Lords as Baroness Lloyd of Effra. Her continued tenure is expected to prevent delays to the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which she is currently steering through the House of Lords. The bill, which cleared its second reading with cross-party support earlier this month, is scheduled for line-by-line scrutiny in September.
The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill aims to update regulations from 2018, expanding their scope to include more organizations and granting ministers powers to amend rules and issue directives to companies on national security grounds. Specifically, it brings data centers and managed service providers under regulatory purview and establishes incident reporting deadlines for operators of essential services such as energy, water, and healthcare. Lloyd was also the minister responsible when the government scaled back proposed cybersecurity protections for telecoms networks, measures initially developed in response to the Salt Typhoon espionage campaign, following industry lobbying regarding cost and practicality.
Burnham's government, formed after Starmer's resignation and a Labour Party leadership election, immediately dissolved the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), which had managed cyber policy since 2023. DSIT's functions have been divided: cyber policy and government digital services moved to DCMS, science to DBIST, and artificial intelligence policy along with the AI Security Institute to the Cabinet Office. This marks the first time AI security work has been separated from the broader cyber brief.
Industry observers have expressed concerns that this fragmentation could undermine the integrated approach to data, digital capabilities, and AI that was considered DSIT's primary strength. The placement of cyber policy within DCMS means it will share a department with politically sensitive cultural portfolios, including Online Safety and the renewal of the BBC Charter. While DCMS permanent secretary Susannah Storey is noted for her extensive experience in cyber issues, ministerial support is still deemed crucial for staff.
Lloyd had previously promised a National Cyber Action Plan, the government's strategy for defending the economy against state-backed and criminal hacking, for publication this summer. Its release, initially expected in early July, was delayed due to Starmer's resignation. A government spokesperson affirmed the importance of cybersecurity, stating that robust actions are being taken to protect the UK and improve resilience, with the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill designed to boost national cyber defenses. The spokesperson added that the redistribution of DSIT's functions recognizes technology as foundational to all future industry, culture, and public service delivery, rather than a separate economic facet.
