Britain wants secrecy laws to be fit for modern security threats

Britain wants to make sure its secrecy laws guarding the publication of secure information are fit to deal with modern security threats, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said on Thursday.

Earlier, the government set out its legislative agenda, including a new law on espionage to counter the threat from potentially 'hostile' states such as Russia and China.

"We want to ensure that that piece of legislation (the Official Secrets Act) is the right piece of legislation to deal with the threats we face today from hostile states in particular," the spokesman said, adding in relation to spies, the government would look at other countries' systems, such as the United States.