Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Genomics and National Security

08 March 2023 · 2 other contributors · 4,396 words

Opened by Alistair Carmichael Lib Dem Orkney and Shetland

Responding minister: George Freeman

Foreign AffairsScience & Technology

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Alistair Carmichael raised concerns about genomics and national security in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Carmichael highlighted rapid advancements in genomics and their potential risks, including global health inequalities, human rights curtailment, and bioweapons threats.
  • Carmichael urged the government to regulate Chinese genomics firms more rigorously and to ensure no trade-offs between research success and democratic values.
  • The minister acknowledged the importance of the issue and noted the UK's leadership in genomics through initiatives like Genomics England and the NHS genomic medicine service.

Key requests to Government

Carmichael urged the government to bring genomics under the definition of critical national infrastructure, scrutinize Chinese genomics firms involved in UK health and research sectors more rigorously, and ensure no trade-offs between research success and adherence to democratic values and human rights standards.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Alistair Carmichael Lib Dem Orkney and Shetland

Carmichael highlighted the rapid advancements in genomics, including non-invasive prenatal genetic testing and DNA-based forensics. He warned about risks such as global health inequalities, human rights curtailment, and bioweapons threats from repressive regimes like China. Carmichael cited examples of BGI Group's involvement with Uyghur repression and questioned the adequacy of current regulation to protect national security and data privacy.

Other contributors (2)
  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Highlights the risk of existing ties between UK universities and Chinese state-linked companies, referencing a US National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence warning about a 'global collection mechanism for Chinese government genetic databases'. Emphasises the importance of national security over the encouragement of genomics use.

  • David Rutley Con Macclesfield

    Rutley emphasised the importance of genomics in national security, mentioning the need for robust regulation and the risk of data misuse by actors like BGI. He called for a comprehensive approach to managing biotech risks and ensuring ethical research.

Government Response

George Freeman

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Davies. I thank the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland for bringing this important issue to the House. I reassure him that we take this issue very seriously. The UK's leadership in genomics extends from human genomics to animal and plant genomics, with initiatives like Genomics England (GEL) and the NHS genomic medicine service transforming drug discovery, diagnosis, and patient access to treatments. We have set out a £175 million genetic healthcare strategy for life-saving programmes around cancer and rare diseases and refreshed our biological security strategy to address biosecurity in an interconnected world. I have put research security at the heart of international collaborations, setting up RCAT—a specialist advisory group connected to intelligence agencies—to check quickly whether partners are benign, hostile or dangerous before signing agreements. We will continue to manage risks properly and ensure that we defend not only the values of good and open science but our own economic security.

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