Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he last discussed national security matters relating to the proposed electricity interconnector and data cabling project proposed by AQUIND with her French counterpart.

The UK works closely with international partners to ensure that investment in energy infrastructure meets the needs of all parties.

The protection of infrastructure and critical services is a key priority for the Department, and any new projects are assessed on a case-by-case basis which may involve a range of stakeholders. Foreign investment in critical national infrastructure undergoes the highest level of scrutiny.