Technology secretary Peter Kyle has announced the UK Government has now classed UK data centres – the buildings which store much of the data generated in the UK – as ‘Critical National Infrastructure’.

It is the first Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) designation in almost a decade, since the space and defence sectors gained the same status in 2015.

It means the data housed and processed in UK data centres – from photos taken on smartphones to patients’ NHS records and sensitive financial investment information – is less likely to be compromised during outages, cyber-attacks, and adverse weather events.

Putting data centres on an equal footing as water, energy and emergency services systems will mean the data centres sector can now expect greater government support in recovering from and anticipating critical incidents.

CNI designation will, for example, see the setting up of a dedicated CNI data infrastructure team of senior government officials who will monitor and anticipate potential threats, provide prioritised access to security agencies including the National Cyber Security Centre, and coordinate access to emergency services should an incident occur.

Critical National Infrastructure status will also, in theory, deter cyber-criminals from targeting data centres that may house vital health and financial data, minimising disruption to people’s lives, the NHS and the economy.

In the event of an attack on a data centre hosting critical NHS patients’ data, for example, the government would be obliged to intervene to ensure contingencies are in place to mitigate the risk of damage or to essential services, including on patients’ appointments or operations.

The UK Government hopes that the new protections will also boost business confidence in investing in data centres in the country, an industry which already generates an estimated £4.6 billion in revenues a year.

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Technology secretary Peter Kyle said: “Data centres are the engines of modern life, they power the digital economy and keep our most personal information safe.

“Bringing data centres into the Critical National Infrastructure regime will allow better coordination and cooperation with the government against cyber criminals and unexpected events.

“The huge £3.75 billion private investment announced today in Hertfordshire is a vote of confidence in those plans and a clear example of my determination to ensure technological advancements are helping to grow our economy and create wealth across the country.”