Source · Select Committees · National Security Strategy (Joint Committee)
Recommendation 9
9
Not Addressed
The Government’s resilience plans should focus in more detail on the level of immediately available...
Recommendation
The Government’s resilience plans should focus in more detail on the level of immediately available capacity in the cable system during a security crisis. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology should request operators to provide regular updates on the scale and type of data each cable carries, short notice rerouting capacity and their ability to prioritise critical services. It should further develop detailed contingency plans for rerouting data through the Channel Tunnel, including in scenarios where high-concentration terrestrial routes are temporarily disabled. (Recommendation, Paragraph 63) 63 Repair vulnerabilities
Government Response Summary
The government's response discusses the National Security Act 2023 and reviewing legislation related to subsea cable sabotage, which does not address the recommendation about focusing on cable system capacity, rerouting data, or developing contingency plans for the Channel Tunnel.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
The Government agrees with this recommendation. The National Security Act 2023 provides a maximum penalty of life in prison or a fine, or both for the offence of ‘sabotage’, where the activity is conducted for, on behalf of, or for the benefit of a foreign power. However, where this cannot be established, existing legislation—such as the Submarine Telegraph Act 1885—significantly constrains our ability to impose appropriate fines and custodial sentences and therefore requires updating. review of legislation relating to subsea cable infrastructure. A key focus will be ensuring that robust routes exist to prosecute and deter private actors suspected of working on behalf of foreign states, particularly when the foreign power condition cannot be met.