Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Deferred
Paragraph: 45
Offshore and subsea critical infrastructure vulnerable to interference, lacking clear repair plan
Conclusion
Events like the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline have shown that Critical National Infrastructure that is based offshore or beneath the sea can be vulnerable to interference. This is a concern in the North Atlantic, where transatlantic cables are critical lines of communication, as well as in the UK’s own Exclusive Economic Zone. Investment in subsea surveillance like the Multi-Role Ocean Support Ships is welcome, but vulnerabilities remain. We heard that weaknesses in the legal regime governing subsea cables makes them a tempting target for malign actors. The UK Government told us that repair of subsea cables was a matter for the cables’ commercial owners; we are concerned that the UK Government did not have more to say about how such important infrastructure could be repaired in the event of sabotage or failure.
Government Response Summary
The Ministry of Defence states it cannot comment on the repair of transatlantic cables and indicates that wider government efforts, coordinated by the Cabinet Office, involve several departments to assure UK interests, but provides no further detail on repair plans.
Paragraph Reference:
45
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
6 Government Response: Defence in Scotland: the North Atlantic and the High North The MOD is not able to comment on the repair of transatlantic cables. Co-ordinated by the Cabinet Office, Departments including the Department for Science Innovation and Technology, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Ministry of available to assure UK interests.