Minister Says Ministry of Defence Looking at Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, as Staff Told to Avoid Secret Talk in Cars.
An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of government operations, including transport use to communication habits.
