Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate she has made of the number of customers affected by recent telecommunications cable thefts in Dorchester on Thames.

Government works in partnership with communications providers to promote networks remaining secure, resilient, and accessible as possible, including during emergencies and service disruption, although we do not hold records of individual incidents. Communication providers are required to take appropriate measures to identify, reduce and prepare for security compromises. They are also required to report significant incidents to Ofcom, who have powers to investigate, rectify and penalise communications providers for any infringement of their duties.

Under Ofcom’s General Conditions of Entitlement Communication Providers are expected to keep customers up to date on disruption to services and when to expect normal service. Ofcom have also published Network and Service Resilience Guidance that provides advice and expectations on how providers can meet statutory obligations.

Any suspected crimes should be reported to the police, and the police’s National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership works with industry and other authorities such as the National Protective Security Authority to investigate and tackle metal theft and other crimes affecting critical infrastructure, strengthening coordination, intelligence sharing, and preventative activity across the UK.