Leak of UK security talks on Huawei may spark inquiry, says minister

A leak inquiry may be launched after secret talks involving government ministers on Chinese telecoms giant Huawei were made public.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News he understood Britain's top civil servant was weighing up the idea, but that ultimately it was for the prime minister to decide.

It comes after ministers attacked the "outrageous" leak that the National Security Council (NSC) had approved Huawei's bid to help build Britain's 5G network.

The details were revealed in The Telegraph on Wednesday, along with a list of cabinet ministers who raised concerns about the idea.

One minister told Sky News a leak of that nature had "never happened before".

A criminal inquiry has also been demanded by Tory MP Nicholas Soames, grandson of Sir Winston Churchill.

A senior source pointed the finger of blame at the Ministry of Defence, adding that the "culprit… might be chopped".

Justice minister Rory Stewart said: "There cannot be leaks from the NSC - that is the top secret meeting and it should be kept entirely secret."

Responding to an urgent question in parliament, Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said the issue "is serious and... the government intends to treat it seriously".

The NSC meeting on Tuesday saw Huawei granted restricted access to build "non-core" infrastructure such as antennas, Whitehall sources confirmed.

But the firm will be blocked from involvement in the most sensitive areas of the network.

Other members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing group, which includes the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, have already reaised concerns.

The US, Australia and New Zealand have barred Huawei from supplying key elements of their infrastructure and Canada is still considering the matter.

Huawei denies having ties to the Chinese government.

But with a legal obligation to cooperate with the state's intelligence agencies, critics worry that no Chinese company can ever be truly independent.

There are also concerns that the Chinese government could require the firm to install technological "back doors" to enable it spy on or disable Britain's communications network.

Decisions of the NSC are taken collectively, but it was reported that concerns were raised during Tuesday's meeting by a number of ministers.

They included Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt.

Downing Street has not yet addressed the demands for an inquiry but said in general it did not comment on NCS meetings.

An urgent question will be heard in parliament on Thursday on the role of Huawei in the UK's telecoms infrastructure.