Select Committee · National Security Strategy (Joint Committee)

Undersea cables

Status: Open Opened: 23 Jan 2025 21 recommendations 7 conclusions 1 report

Undersea cables form the backbone of the world’s internet. The UK has around 60 cables which connect us to the outside world, carrying 99% of our data. Concern has been growing about the risk of these cables being sabotaged by foreign states. The consequences would be extensive. This inquiry will examine the UK’s ability to …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
1st Report - Subsea telecommunications cables: resilience a… HC 723 19 Sep 2025 28 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

1 item
1 Conclusion 1st Report - Subsea telecommunications … Acknowledged

The UK’s strategic reliance on subsea cables will likely continue for the foreseeable future.

The UK’s strategic reliance on subsea cables will likely continue for the foreseeable future. The cable industry provides a commendable and commercially efficient repair service, which ensures good resilience against moderate damage. We do not believe there is an imminent threat to the UK’s national connectivity. (Conclusion, Paragraph 14) Threat …

Government response. The government agrees on the importance of updated risk scenarios and commits to considering how to best update reasonable worst-case scenarios within national risk assessments to reflect the possibility of coordinated sabotage on subsea and terrestrial internet infrastructure.
Cabinet Office

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
30 Jun 2025 Kevin Adams · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Luke Pollard MP · Ministry of Defence, Paul Wyatt · Ministry of Defence, Sir Chris Bryant MP · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology View ↗
9 Jun 2025 Alasdair Wilkie · Atlantic Cable Maintenance & Repair Agreement (ACMA), Alex Towers · BT Group, Chief Constable Gavin Stephens · National Police Chiefs' Council, Dr Fenella Wrigley MBE · London Ambulance Service, John Wrottesley · European Subsea Cables Association, Laura Catterick · UK Finance, Mick McGovern · Alcatel Submarine Networks View ↗
19 May 2025 Captain Niels Markussen · NATO, Commodore (Rtd) John Aitken OBE · Thales, Dr Marie Jacobsson · Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Professor Aurel Sari · University of Exeter View ↗
12 May 2025 Dr Sidharth Kaushal · Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Elisabeth Braw · Atlantic Council, Matthew Bowden · Red Penguin Marine, Professor Kevin Rowlands · Kings College London View ↗

Correspondence

2 letters
DateDirectionTitle
8 Sep 2025 Correspondence from Sir Chris Bryant MP, Minister of State, Department for Scie…
14 Jul 2025 Correspondence from Sir Chris Bryant MP, Minister of State, Department for Scie…