Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve the defence of British undersea infrastructure.

The UK Government constantly monitors and assesses the security of critical underwater infrastructure, as part of a whole-of-Government effort involving multiple Departments, including the Ministry of Defence, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, alongside industry and international partners.

The Royal Navy plays a critical part in maintaining security within UK waters, deploying a variety of vessels and aircraft. RFA Proteus, the UK’s first Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance Ship (MROS), is now operational and is using its leading-edge technology to monitor underwater infrastructure in areas of UK sovereign interest.