During a House of Lords debate on the Strategic Defence Review, several peers highlighted the acute vulnerability of the UK’s communications infrastructure, including undersea data cables, telecoms networks and mobile connectivity, to hostile state and criminal actors.
Liberal Democrat Lord Purvis of Tweed raised concerns about the security of subsea cables, noting that the UK is almost exclusively reliant on them for communications, and that any disruption would have immediate and severe economic consequences.
Conservative Lord Tugendhat drew attention to the particular risks associated with the UK’s transatlantic data cables, the majority of which run through Irish territorial waters. He questioned whether the UK’s western approaches are as well protected as those to the east and south, and pressed the Government to clarify how it ensures the security of these vital international links given Ireland’s limited defence capabilities.
Conservative peer Lord Soames of Fletching emphasised the UK's vulnerability to cyber threats against communications infrastructure, including mobile phone networks and telecoms. He noted that the UK is already facing daily attacks that aim to manipulate information and disrupt connectivity, with society largely unprepared for such incidents.
Peers from across parties called for increased investment, coordinated Government action and a whole-of-society approach to ensure that the UK’s telecoms and data infrastructure can withstand future attacks. They cautioned that without urgent measures to strengthen the resilience of these critical networks, the UK’s national security and economic stability would remain at risk.
