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North Atlantic Submarine Activity
13 April 2026
Lead MP
Alistair Carns
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
DefenceForeign Affairs
Other Contributors: 16
At a Glance
Alistair Carns raised concerns about north atlantic submarine activity in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
The Defence Secretary announced details of a UK operation in the north Atlantic to deter Russian activity involving an Akula-class submarine and two GUGI submarines. The Royal Navy warship and RAF P8 aircraft closely monitored these vessels for over a month, covering thousands of nautical miles with 450 flying hours, involving about 500 personnel. This was done to demonstrate UK's readiness and commitment in protecting critical undersea infrastructure from hybrid warfare threats. The statement highlighted the importance of the seabed as it houses pipelines and cables crucial for gas supply, telecommunications, and global trade. To combat these challenges, £100 million is being provided for P8 aircraft, the Atlantic Bastion programme will combine autonomous technologies with warships, and there's a significant increase in defence spending since the Cold War. The UK also deployed its carrier group to north Atlantic and High North regions and supports NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission.
Question
The MP asks about the current status of boarding sanctio [7D [K sanctioned vessels transiting UK waters and seeks clarification on any lega [4D [K legal basis for interdiction by the Attorney General. They also inquire how [3D [K how many such vessels have been allowed to transit without action.
Minister reply
The minister responds, stating that while previou [7D [K previous statements indicated readiness, no specific decision has been take [4D [K taken yet regarding the legal basis or operational logistics of boarding sa [2D [K sanctioned vessels. He acknowledges ongoing discussions and commits to addr [4D [K addressing these concerns as part of a broader deterrence strategy.
Question
The MP questions the timing and scope of deploying resou [5D [K resources in the north Atlantic versus other global hotspots like the middl [5D [K middle east, seeking assurance that no critical threats go unaddressed.
Minister reply
The minister explains that due to increased defen [5D [K defence investment, more resources can be deployed effectively across multi [5D [K multiple priorities. He assures that while deployments may vary based on im [2D [K immediate demands, the overall strategy remains robust and committed to pro [3D [K protecting UK interests globally.
David Reed
Lab
Question
We must start acting on visible threats. Can the Ministe [7D [K Minister guarantee that there are no hostile devices on our undersea cables [6D [K cables, pipelines or interconnectors? The Defence Readiness Bill has been d [1D [K delayed by a year and cross-party unity is needed now more than ever.
Minister reply
The Government have exposed Russia's activities a [1D [K around critical national infrastructure, preventing sabotage. We will do ev [2D [K everything to map, track and expose any such activity if it takes place. Th [2D [K There are legal challenges but we stand ready to board vessels that meet th [2D [K the criteria.
Tan Dhesi
Lab
Slough
Question
Can the Minister confirm whether Russians were involved [K in either sabotage or precursors to sabotage on our undersea cables?
Minister reply
Russia failed this time as we exposed its activit [7D [K activity. No sabotage took place, but efforts continue towards understandin [12D [K understanding and protecting critical infrastructure.
Question
Will the Minister commit to publishing the defence inves [5D [K investment plan before Parliament is prorogued? Will he publish a plan to r [1D [K raise £20 billion in defence bonds for urgent projects, including rebuildin [9D [K rebuilding naval capabilities?
Minister reply
While the Defence Investment Plan has not yet arr [3D [K arrived, significant efforts are being made towards enhancing maritime capa [4D [K capability. Five classes of ship or submarine are on order, with 13 frigate [7D [K frigates being built collaboratively to ensure our maritime capability is f [1D [K fit for purpose. The Government will continue to work with EU partners and [K sanction Russian entities to reduce the illegal flow of resources back into [4D [K into Russia.
Question
It is clear that under the current leadership, the US is [2D [K is no longer a reliable ally, threatening European colleagues and Commonwea [9D [K Commonwealth nations and undermining the very purpose of NATO. As we face i [1D [K increasing threats from Russia, we are reliant on the US for our nuclear de [2D [K deterrent, for our kit and for technology. Will the Minister share his plan [4D [K plans to increase the prioritisation of British and European partners’ equi [4D [K equipment, so that we can have some independence from the US and also boost [5D [K boost our domestic market?
Minister reply
We have a multitude of allies and partners. The U [1D [K US has been a partner for the last 20 years and will continue to be so for [K some time to come. We share a plethora of different capabilities with them [K and have done so for the last 20 years. Additionally, we do the same with o [1D [K our European allies, resulting in millions of pounds of investment and thou [4D [K thousands of skilled jobs across various regions.
Question
I thank my hon. and gallant Friend for his statement. I [K pay tribute to our incredibly brave naval personnel for the important work [K they do, often in difficult weather conditions, to keep us all safe. It str [3D [K strikes me that Harlow is quite a way from the Arctic circle and that the A [1D [K Arctic circle is considerably colder than Harlow, particularly at this time [4D [K time of year. Would he touch on the unique challenges that our naval fleet [K face in those conditions? Although it is hugely important that we support N [1D [K NATO with its Arctic Sentry mission, would he reflect on the challenges and [3D [K and reassure me and my constituents that our naval fleet are prepared for t [1D [K those challenges?
Minister reply
Operating in the High North is exceptionally diff [4D [K difficult. The Royal Navy perseveres; it does a fantastic job. When that is [2D [K is combined with our P-8s in the sky and, of course, the silent service und [3D [K underneath the waves, I have no doubt that our nation is very well protecte [8D [K protected.
Question
The Minister may recall that back in November when we di [2D [K discussed the Yantar, I asked him about the circumstances under which the f [1D [K fleet contingency group would be given the green light to conduct a maritim [7D [K maritime interdiction operation. He responded that it would need to meet in [2D [K international law. I was pleased on 25 March when the Prime Minister put ou [2D [K out a statement saying that the Royal Marines special forces would be given [5D [K given the opportunity to interdict Russian shadow fleet vessels, but subseq [6D [K subsequently, we have not seen any of that take place. The Minister mention [7D [K mentioned that criteria would need to be met. There are 544 sanctioned Russ [4D [K Russian shadow fleet vessels. Can he confirm whether all of them—by virtue [K of being sanctioned—meet the criteria for being interdicted, or are there v [1D [K vessels in that list of 544 that are in scope, but have not yet transited t [1D [K through our waters?
Minister reply
The maritime interdiction of a Russian-flagged ve [2D [K vessel such as the Yantar is very different from one where the vessel eithe [5D [K either does not have a flag or changes its flag regularly. The criteria mus [3D [K must be met to enable those boardings. The MOD is absolutely ready to go, b [1D [K but unfortunately I will not go through the detail here, because it may all [3D [K allow some of those vessels to put in place mitigations that would reduce o [1D [K our ability to board them.
Question
With the Russian navy now escorting shadow fleet vessels [7D [K vessels down through the English channel, could a mitigation or a blocker f [1D [K for interdicting one of those vessels be a naval vessel with them? Was it a [1D [K an error of judgment by the Government to put them on notice that we were a [1D [K about to start those interdictions?
Minister reply
We had already supported a US boarding of a sanct [5D [K sanctioned vessel and, of course, multiple other allies as well. Russian na [2D [K naval escorts do escort some of these vessels. When they do, that is also p [1D [K putting a considerable strain on the Russian fleet which is relatively limi [4D [K limited when combined with its subsurface capability, and this is having an [2D [K an effect. What I can say is that the MOD is absolutely ready to board any [K ship that meets the parameters, and will do so if that happens.
Question
I pay tribute to the Royal Navy and echo the point made [K by the Minister in respect of our brave personnel. I agree with him that we [2D [K we have the best Navy in the world—I just wish it were larger. I am unclear [7D [K unclear from what the Minister has said about whether we have had more than [4D [K than a narrative of what has happened over the last month and of our capabi [6D [K capabilities in respect of these events. What has actually changed in the G [1D [K Government’s planning with respect to defending our undersea infrastructure [14D [K infrastructure from Russia, in terms of either the disposition of our force [5D [K forces or procurement, perhaps? Also, he mentions the resilience of our und [3D [K undersea infrastructure. Can he tell the House a little about what plans we [2D [K we have to cope with an attack on undersea cables and how quickly we could [K recover from one?
Minister reply
The UK has deployed assets to map and track Russi [5D [K Russian operations, exposing them effectively. This is a fantastic deterren [8D [K deterrent as it prevents Russia or Putin from claiming that an operation wa [2D [K was not theirs. Remember, it is not just the ship or aircraft; a whole plet [4D [K plethora of individuals—500 people—sit behind this operation, conducting it [2D [K it successfully.
Question
I would like to return to the issue of UK maritime servi [5D [K services facilitating the export of Russian energy. Does the Minister not s [1D [K see the irony that, at a time when we are all grappling with how we fund ou [2D [K our own defence, the Government are still letting UK plc bankroll Putin’s w [1D [K war machine—a war machine that is mapping our infrastructure? What action d [1D [K do the Government plan to take to stop it?
Minister reply
We have taken extensive actions on sanctions of a [1D [K any country, sanctioning thousands of individuals and enterprises. We will [K continue to do so as long as that money fuels the illegal and barbaric war [K in Ukraine.
Sammy Wilson
DUP
East Antrim
Question
A recent Policy Exchange document highlighted that Irela [5D [K Ireland, due to its proximity to the UK and NATO, is increasingly reliant o [1D [K on the UK for security. What discussions has the Minister had with the Iris [4D [K Irish Government to up their game and provide for some security measures? D [1D [K Does he have any concerns that a future Irish Government that includes Sinn [4D [K Sinn Féin could lead to co-operation breaking down?
Minister reply
We need to accept that Ireland is exceptionally c [1D [K close to the mainland, creating shared security interests. The Prime Minist [6D [K Minister has had constructive conversations with his Irish counterparts to [K ensure resources are shared and both Ireland and Great Britain and Northern [8D [K Northern Ireland are protected.
Question
The Minister talked about Government investment to deter [5D [K deter adversaries in the north Atlantic, the Atlantic Bastion programme, ex [2D [K extra money for P-8 aircraft and the additional service vessels on order. W [1D [K Will he comment on the future of the AUKUS submarines that are in developme [9D [K development with the United States?
Minister reply
The AUKUS programme is not in question; it contin [6D [K continues at full strength. It is a fantastic trilateral partnership betwee [6D [K between us, the Australians and the Americans.
Jim Allister
DUP
East Antrim
Question
Given Northern Ireland’s geographical position, it occup [5D [K occupies a geo-security location of increasing significance, particularly w [1D [K with regard to transatlantic undersea cables. There are still only five Roy [3D [K Royal Navy personnel based in Northern Ireland. Last month, there was a mem [3D [K memorandum of understanding between the UK and the Republic of Ireland on p [1D [K providing sea and naval cover for the entire British Isles. Can the Ministe [7D [K Minister confirm that Russian submarines have not been active in the soft u [1D [K underbelly of the Republic of Ireland?
Minister reply
Northern Ireland’s essential role in our transatl [8D [K transatlantic relationship is not lost on me. If it is within the operation [9D [K operational parameter, I will write back to provide details on numbers in N [1D [K Northern Ireland. Any discussions taking place with another country usually [7D [K usually involve bilateral benefits.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
I thank the hon. and gallant Member for his statement—no [12D [K statement—no one inside or outside this House doubts his commitment. The Ch [2D [K Chair of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy made a state [5D [K statement about six weeks ago regarding the issue my right hon. Friend ment [4D [K mentioned. Can the Minister confirm that Russian submarines have not been a [1D [K active in the soft underbelly of the Republic of Ireland, which is a back d [1D [K door to the UK?
Minister reply
I will not go into specific detail on the geograp [7D [K geographical movement of submarines but I can say that there are interdepen [10D [K interdependencies between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ireland and a [1D [K a multitude of other European nations in relation to undersea cables. We ar [2D [K are working with our allies and partners to ensure those cables are protect [7D [K protected.
Shadow Comment
David Reed
Shadow Comment
The shadow minister acknowledged Russia as an acute, persistent threat to the UK with ongoing nefarious activity in territorial waters. He emphasised the need for robust action beyond rhetoric, citing that words must be backed by concrete measures to protect critical underwater infrastructure from sabotage or kinetic threats. The Labour Party is concerned about delays in the Defence Readiness Bill and the lack of cross-party unity on defence matters. They question why there has been no boarding of sanctioned vessels transiting UK waters despite previous statements of readiness. The shadow response criticises the Government for not moving fast enough to deter adversaries, urging a commitment to spending 3% of GDP on defence within this Parliament.
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