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The Minister for Cabinet Office spoke at IA14, the government's 2014 conference for cyber security and information assurance decision makers.

It’s a pleasure to speak at IA14.

Much has changed since I spoke at IA12, 18 months ago. We’ve some new tools at our disposal. New talent is entering the cyber security profession. Awareness is steadily rising.

But the most obvious change is that growth has returned. The UK is one of the fastest growing economies in the developed world. This presents 2 challenges, which I’m going to talk about today.

The first challenge is to redouble our efforts as part of our long term plan for the British economy to make the UK one of the safest places in the world to do business. The economy that emerges from the Great Recession needs to be stronger, more secure and more attuned to the risks than ever before.

The second is to seize the opportunity that cyber presents for innovation and enterprise, and for jobs and prosperity. Often we focus on the threat because we want companies and organisations to take note and take action. That’s important. But cyber security shouldn’t be seen as a necessary evil. It’s a growth business in its own right and it can be a strength for Britain.

The answer to both these challenges is that businesses and government are better off working together. Pulling in the same direction, with the same goals, makes us stronger and more aware, and leaves us far better placed to mitigate against the threats and maximise the opportunities that cyber presents.

Click here for full speech