Telecommunications Cables: Seas and Oceans
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Plan to toughen protections for subsea internet cables amid heightened Russian activity, published on 29 May 2026, how many incidents involving damage to subsea telecommunications cables connected to the UK have been recorded in each of the last ten years.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan
Data on faults affecting subsea telecommunications cables connected to the UK is held by industry operators and collated by international bodies, including the International Cable Protection Committee, whose data the Department accesses.
The majority of faults to UK subsea cables continue to be caused by fishing and anchoring activity. This aligns with global trends – the ICPC has identified that 84% of global faults are caused by a combination of fishing and anchoring, with the remaining 16% due to geological events, seabed abrasion or defective equipment.
Suspicious activity near subsea cables is, however, being increasingly observed, although this has not led to any incidents affecting the cables. The Royal Navy and the Joint Maritime Security Centre provide 24/7 monitoring of maritime activity in UK waters and work closely with allies to track and deter any activity that threatens British interests.
In response, the Government recently announced proposals to strengthen subsea cable resilience, including tougher penalties for ship owners and operators that recklessly damage cables, and new legislative measures to ensure a robust baseline level of security across our entire cable network, with clearer duties to manage risk, maintain rigorous response plans, and report incidents.
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