LONDON, May 29 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
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Governmentto proposetougher fines and prison sentencesforthosewho damage subsea infrastructureessential for UK internet access, with consultation planned later this year
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Newobligations on subsea cableoperatorsto secure their infrastructureandnewemergency powersfor governmentto also be proposed, following rise in suspicious activity by Russian vessels
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Plans set outin speech byUKtelecoms ministerLizLloyd at the Royal United Services Institute.
Ship owners and operators that recklessly damage subsea internet cables will face tougher penalties under new proposals to strengthen national security and deter Russia and other hostile states from sabotaging the UK's critical national infrastructure.
Subseatelecomscables carry the data thatunderpinsthe economy,with £1.4 trillion in dailyUKtransactionsreliant onthe subsea cable industry. They enableeveryday communicationslike calls, instantmessagingand social media as well ascriticalservicesvitalforsupply chains,emergency services,themilitaryandkey British industries such as finance.
The UK already has a highly resilient system,underpinned by around 64 cables.When cables break, a repair vessel is at the scene withineightdays, a world-leading response time.Faults are rare and the overwhelming majority are not malicious, with up to97%*arising from fishing activity or vessels dragging anchors,and mostaren'tnoticed by the public.Suspiciousactivity near subseacablesis, however,being increasinglyobserved.
InAprilthe BritishArmed Forcesexposeda covert Russian submarine operationcarrying outnefarious activityover critical undersea infrastructurein and around UK waters.Withthe geopolitical environment growing ever more challenging, the government has beenrightlyreviewing whether the UK's security and resilience arrangementsremainstrong enough.
Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) on Friday (29 May), telecoms ministerLizLloyd set outplansto consult onreplacing 140-year-old legislationtomake the law clearer,and much harder to evade - withtougherfines and prison sentencesforvessel owners and operatorsthat intentionally or recklessly damage cables.
She also highlightedthat Government is considering newsecurity obligations on cable owners and operators, ensuring they take the necessary steps to prevent,detectand respond to security compromises in a consistent andtimelymanner.
New emergency powers to direct businesses to protect this infrastructure will also be included in the proposals, which would strengthen government's ability to respond to major subsea cable incidents and minimise disruption to UK connectivity. The proposals will be set out in detail through a white paper later this year.
Telecoms minister Liz Lloyd said:
The UK already has strong protections in place for our subsea cables, but in a more uncertain world we cannot stand still.
As hostile activity by Russia and others grows, protecting these cables matters more than ever for our economy, security and daily lives. That is why we plan to go further with tougher penalties for reckless damage, stronger securityobligationsand new powers to respond quickly when incidents happen.
True resilience depends on having a healthy thriving telecoms sector, and government must play an active role in creating the conditions for commercial success. By building a strong domestic industry wedon'tjust protect infrastructure, we strengthen the UK's position as a global centre for digital trade."
For acts of sabotage clearly linked to a hostile state, UK laws already carry life imprisonment for the most serious cases.However, malicious activitybelow the ocean surfacedoesn'talways present itself clearly-operatingin a"grey zone" - ambiguous in intent,hard toprove anddifficult to prosecute.
In her speech, Minister Lloyd explained how the legal system needed to keep pace with the threat,and thatplannedlegislative proposals for consultationwouldmodernise and strengthen the criminal framework around subseacables.She said the changes would"senda clear message that if you act recklessly, or if you deliberately target our cables, there will be serious consequences."
Minister Lloyd alsopointed to existingplans to supportnext-generation ofinvestment in cable upgrades through "common-sense regulation" that "supports growth rather than holds it back"- pointing to exemptions on environmental red tapefor the laying, maintenance and removal of subsea cablesin deep waters, where impact on marine life is extremely limited.
Notes to editors
Source: Global Submarine Telecoms Cable Repair Data Analysis, International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC)
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