PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(29 May 2026)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the recent decision by the French Government to switch from using Microsoft Windows to Linux on government devices.

Asked by:
James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat)

The Ministry of Defence keeps its approach to digital technology, including the selection and use of operating systems on its devices, under continual review and regularly assesses developments in the wider international environment.

Decisions on platforms are based on operational requirements, security, resilience and value for money, and are subject to robust governance and assurance processes.

Defence makes decisions based on its own requirements, while taking account of relevant international developments where appropriate. All technology choices within Defence must comply with strict security and device management policies, ensuring systems can be managed effectively at an enterprise level and meet mandated cyber security standards.

Answered by:
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