Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what policies are in place with respect to sub-sea telecommunication cables; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including the security of sub-sea telecommunication cables in the national security strategy.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is the lead department for telecommunications policy, including the security and resilience of telecommunications subsea cables. DCMS works closely with operators, regulators and others to assess risks and ensure that the appropriate mitigation measures are in place.

The Integrated Review 2021 acknowledged that the Royal Navy will remain active in the UK’s territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone, including by investing in new capabilities to protect undersea critical national infrastructure - including subsea telecommunications cables.