# UK Cybersecurity Leadership Retained Amidst Government Reshuffle and Departmental Overhaul In a move that underscores a commitment to ongoing cybersecurity initiatives, **Prime Minister Andy Burnham** has reappointed **Liz Lloyd** as Britain’s cybersecurity minister. This decision maintains stability in a critical policy area even as **Burnham** initiates a sweeping overhaul of ministerial positions and abolishes the department previously responsible for cyber. **Lloyd** will now serve in a junior post at the **Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)**, while also retaining a position at the newly renamed **Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (DBIST)**. While her formal portfolio is yet to be announced, Whitehall sources indicate she will resume her cyber brief. **Lloyd** has led on cyber since September 2025 and is currently guiding the government's most significant cybersecurity legislation in years through its final parliamentary stages. ## Navigating the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill **Lloyd's** reappointment is particularly notable given **Burnham's** broader efforts to remove allies of his predecessor, **Keir Starmer**. Having been close to **Starmer** and previously serving as his director of policy delivery, **Lloyd** represents an unusual continuity. As **Baroness Lloyd of Effra** in the House of Lords, she holds no elected seat. Earlier this month, **Lloyd** successfully steered the **Cyber Security and Resilience Bill** through its second reading in the House of Lords with cross-party support. Line-by-line scrutiny of the bill is set to commence in September. Replacing the minister at this crucial juncture would have risked delays to legislation the government aims to pass this year. The bill is designed to update rules from 2018, expanding Britain’s cyber regulations to encompass more organizations. It grants ministers the authority to amend these rules and issue directives to companies on national security grounds. Notably, it brings data centers and managed service providers into scope and establishes incident reporting deadlines for essential service operators, including those in energy, water, and healthcare. However, **Lloyd** was also the minister responsible when the government opted to weaken proposed cybersecurity protections for telecoms networks. These measures, initially developed in response to the **Salt Typhoon** espionage campaign, were scaled back following lobbying from industry players citing cost and practicality concerns. ## The Three-Way Split of Cyber Functions **Prime Minister Burnham** was invited to form a government by **King Charles III** following **Starmer’s** resignation. Among **Burnham’s** first actions was the dissolution of the **Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)**, which had overseen cyber policy since 2023. **DSIT's** functions have now been split into three distinct areas: cyber policy and government digital services have moved to **DCMS**; science to **DBIST**; and artificial intelligence (AI) policy, including the **AI Security Institute**, to the **Cabinet Office**. This marks the first time AI security work has been separated from the core cyber brief. Industry figures have voiced concerns that this fragmentation could undermine the integrated approach to data, digital capability, and AI that was a key strength of the former department. Placing cyber within **DCMS** also means it will coexist with other politically sensitive cultural portfolios, such as Online Safety and the renewal of the BBC Charter. While Whitehall sources commend **DCMS** permanent secretary **Susannah Storey** for her extensive experience in cyber issues, they acknowledge the continued need for strong ministerial support for staff. **Lloyd** has previously committed to publishing a **National Cyber Action Plan** this summer, which outlines the government's strategy for defending the economy against state-backed and criminal hacking. The plan's release was initially expected in early July but was delayed due to **Starmer’s** resignation. A government spokesperson affirmed: “Cybersecurity is an essential part of our daily lives, which is why we are taking robust action to protect the UK from cyber threats and improve cyber resilience across the economy. Our **Cyber Security and Resilience Bill** will boost UK cyber defences and improve the cyber security of our essential public and digital services.” They added: “The functions of the former **Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)** have been redistributed to where they can have the most direct impact. This move recognises that technology is not a separate facet of our economy – it is the foundation of all future industry, culture, and public service delivery.”