Lord Vallance speech at the Royal Institute of Navigation's annual leadership seminar
The Science Minister, Lord Vallance, recorded a speech for the Royal Institute of Navigation’s annual Positioning, Navigation and Timing leadership seminar on 20 November 2024.
The Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN) have launched the world’s first set of best practice principles and checklist for resilient Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT).
The new guidance and checklist provide clear and actionable advice on how to assess and mitigate PNT risks, develop robust contingency plans, and invest in innovative PNT technologies. The principles and checklist can be found on the Royal Institute of Navigation’s website.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) worked with the RIN on developing the principles and guidance including part funding the work.
Transcript of Minister Vallance’s speech
Good morning and thanks for inviting me to speak in your PNT leadership seminar.
I’m really sorry not to be there in person. I know that following my remarks, Dr Shabana Haque is going to speak to you. She’s from the National PNT Office and she’ll be providing a more detailed update on government policy. I probably shouldn’t say this, but I encourage you to ask Shabana lots of difficult questions!
I’m aware that both of my immediate predecessors as science ministers have spoken at the Royal Institute of Navigation about PNT, and this just reflects the importance of the role of the organisation.
In particular, the Royal Institute has played a really important role in recent years to highlight the PNT opportunity and risk, to provide expertise, and to work with government on solutions. So thank you very much to everyone who’s championed the need to address that risk over many years.
Everyone here in this meeting knows how important PNT is. It’s important for the UK economy, critical national infrastructure, and for wider society. We all use it every day without thinking about it.
Everyone here also knows that the UK’s PNT is almost completely provided through global navigation satellite systems. There are many hazards and threats to these systems and this was recognised over a year ago, and in 2023 PNT was recognised as its own risk in the National Risk Register. If satellite-provided PNT is lost for an extended period, the impact would, of course, be extremely serious.
In October 2023, the previous administration announced a government policy framework for greater PNT resilience. This didn’t solve the PNT risk, or provide substantive funding needed for a resilient system, but what it did do was set out 10 actions to improve the resilience of PNT services and support the economic opportunities that they enable.
I’ve reviewed that framework since coming into office in July and I’m very pleased to confirm today a commitment to implementing the government policy framework for greater PNT resilience.
The focus now needs to be on addressing the PNT risk by delivering an operational, resilient PNT system for the UK as soon as we can. And with, of course, the resources that we have. The RIN’s active support will be needed to do this.
We all know that PNT is an international issue. For decades the UK and the world have relied on the United States freely gifting GPS to the world. Of course, we’ll continue to use GPS. But I also know the world is watching with interest as we develop our alternative PNT system.
The PNT office has already had detailed discussions with our partners in America, Europe, Canada, Japan, Korea, Australia and a number of other countries. I know that Shabana will give you a detailed update on progress in implementing the framework.
But I wanted to highlight 4 specific updates now.
First: the National PNT office is fully staffed, and funding has been provided from across government. This demonstrates and joined up whole of government effort and is an important step.
Second: government has increased the budget for the national Timing Centre R&D programme, from £30 million to £62.7 million.
Third: working with the General Lighthouse Authority, we now have a model for an enhanced long range navigation system for the UK. This should provide PNT across land, air and sea. Subject to the spending review, phase two, we aim for the National Timing Centre and the first of the new eLORAN towers to achieve initial operating capability by January 2027.
Fourth: I’d like to highlight and endorse the work that the RIN has done on resilient PNT best practice principles. There’s a lack of understanding in many places about what PNT is, how it’s used, and the impact that losing it would have across critical national infrastructure and the economy and society.
I see what you’ve produced, the best practice principles, as a vital first step in helping organisations understand and address their PNT risk and build resilience. Government will encourage the use of these principles by CNI, and every organisation using PNT.
Thank you to the RIN, in particular Ramsey Faragher, John Pottle and Guy Buesnel, for leading this work. I’m looking forward to seeing more detailed guidance in future. The second objective of the framework is to use PNT to enable productivity-driven economic growth.
We know the vast number of myriad ways that PNT is already used across the economy and society.
We need to ensure all people, regions and economic sectors can benefit from PNT. The fully staffed office will shortly begin work to develop policies on PNT-enabled economic growth. We’ll need your input to develop those policies, that break down barriers to growth.
This includes, of course, to increase the adoption of PNT. To develop new PNT products and services. To build the UK’s new PNT system. And to increase export to P&T products and services. I really look forward to receiving your views and ideas.
In conclusion, then, there’s much work to be done to make UK PNT resilient and to exploit the benefits that PNT offers. You are going to be crucial for this, so I thank you again for your support, and I look forward to working with you all in the future.
This is a tremendous area of opportunity, a tremendous area of need and something that all of you will be instrumental in helping us get right. So, I wish you every success for the meeting and look forward to working with you.