Source · Select Committees · National Security Strategy (Joint Committee)
Recommendation 10
10
Not Addressed
The UK needs more confidence in access to cable repair vessels: the current fleet is...
Conclusion
The UK needs more confidence in access to cable repair vessels: the current fleet is ageing, and erstwhile UK businesses have been acquired by foreign entities. (Conclusion, Paragraph 71)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government's response discusses UNCLOS and legal aspects of countering suspicious vessels, explicitly stating it does not accept reliance on piracy provisions or publishing a legal opinion, thereby failing to address the concern about access to cable repair vessels.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government · verbatim extract
Not Addressed
The Government agrees that there needs to continue to be a UK-based and UK-flagged repair ship for the foreseeable future. A UK based and UK flagged repair ship enables rapid response to cable breaks in UK waters, sufficient repair capacity when required and provides a strategically deployable capability during an emergency. We are currently exploring a range of options that also provide ongoing value for money for the taxpayer. We will set out our plans in more detail in due course.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗