Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many transatlantic submarine or pipeline telecommunications cables are in UK public ownership or control.

There are no transatlantic submarine or pipeline telecommunications cables under direct UK public ownership or control. We anticipate this to be the same for other NATO member states, but it would be a matter for NATO member states to confirm.

Subsea cables are privately owned and operated, although governments work with the operators, regulators, international partners and others to assess the overall resilience of subsea infrastructure and respond to high-impact events.