Context
The question arises from concerns over threats to UK's critical undersea infrastructure, including interconnectors and cables targeted by Russia and China. Previous attempts to ascertain responsibility for security have been met with non-committal answers.
Question
In January, I asked the Defence Secretary which single Minister is responsible for the security of offshore infrastructure. We know that Russia and China target interconnectors and undersea cables, we know that Russia places listening devices on our wind turbines to monitor submarines, and we know that China controls the tech in the turbines that the Energy Secretary wants to buy. The Defence Secretary could not answer me in January, and neither did the Prime Minister when I asked him earlier this month. When are we going to find out who is actually in charge?
Answer from The Minister for the Armed Forces (Luke Pollard)
There is no doubt in my mind that the Prime Minister is responsible for the security of this nation, and he delegates different areas to different Departments. That is a completely normal way of dealing with our national security. Let us be absolutely clear: within Defence, we take this seriously and we work with colleagues across Departments to make sure that we are not only securing our infrastructure from a defence perspective, but using our trade routes to make sure that we are protecting and buying the right technology and using our planning system to make sure that, where there is development, it does not impinge on our national security.
Not addressed: The questioner asked for a specific minister responsible for securing undersea infrastructure, but the Minister did not provide this information directly. Instead, he referred to the Prime Minister's responsibility and interdepartmental cooperation without naming a single point of contact.
How: Working With Colleagues Across Departments
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