UK MPs back AI kill switch

Labour MP Alex Sobel has tabled an amendment to the UK’s Cyber Security and Resilience Bill that would let the Secretary of State order the shutdown of data centres or AI systems used by a data centre during an “AI security or operational emergency.” The proposal sits inside a broader bill that updates the UK’s Network and Information Systems regime and already brings data centres into scope as regulated infrastructure. The amendment says the power would be a “last-resort” measure, not a routine supervisory tool. The bill is due back in the House of Commons for report stage and third reading on June 10, 2026. (bills.parliament.uk) ### Which bill is this attached to? The Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill was introduced on November 12, 2025, and is designed to amend the UK’s 2018 NIS regulations for operators of essential services and related digital infrastructure. Parliament’s bill page says the measure covers the security and resilience of network and information systems used in connection with essential activities. A House of Commons Library briefing says committee stage ran from February 3 to February 24, 2026, and the next Commons debate is set for June 10. (bills.parliament.uk) ### What would ministers actually be able to do? Amendment NC12 says regulations under section 29(1) may give the Secretary of State power to direct the shutdown of “data centres” or “AI systems used or deployed by a data centre.” The text says those directions could be issued in an “AI security or operational emergency,” and it requires the Secretary of State to report the direction and reasons to Parliament within seven days and seek debate in each House as soon as reasonably practicable. (bills.parliament.uk) The amendment also defines the scope of an “AI system” broadly, using language that covers machine-based systems that generate predictions, content, recommendations, decisions or other outputs, or influence physical or virtual environments to achieve objectives. It says “used or deployed” includes systems made available to a substantial number of people in the UK or to providers and operators of essential services. ### What counts as a “catastrophic” emergency? The amendment says the Secretary of State must have reasonable grounds to believe there has been a security or operational compromise to relevant network and information systems, that the compromise was caused or contributed to by the use or operation of an AI system used or deployed by a data centre, and that the compromise poses a “catastrophic risk.” It defines that risk as one reasonably likely to cause or contribute to large-scale disruption to critical infrastructure or essential services, significant degradation of UK national security, defence or intelligence capabilities, or severe, large-scale harm to human life. (bills.parliament.uk) ### Why are data centres part of the story? The bill’s explanatory material says Part 2 brings new services, including data centres, load control and managed services, into the scope of the NIS regulations. That matters because the amendment is written on top of a bill already treating data centres as part of the country’s cyber-resilience architecture rather than as ordinary commercial facilities alone. ### What does this mean for companies using AI infrastructure? (bills.parliament.uk) The amendment is still a proposal, not enacted law. But the text is specific enough that companies with UK exposure can identify the operational questions it raises now: which systems are run from affected data centres, which workloads support essential services, and whether shutdown procedures, failover plans and reporting lines are documented. Those are inferences from the amendment’s wording on shutdown directions, data-centre scope and parliamentary reporting requirements, rather than statements from ministers about implementation. (publications.parliament.uk) On June 10, 2026, MPs are scheduled to take the bill through report stage and third reading in the Commons, according to the House of Commons Library. Parliament’s bill page and amendment papers are the primary places to watch for whether NC12 is selected, revised or adopted. (commonslibrary.parliament.uk) (bills.parliament.uk)