The Record reported that the UK government proposed on Thursday prison terms of up to 14 years for deliberately damaging undersea cables and pipelines. Fines would have no cap. The plan would replace the Submarine Telegraph Act 1885, which sets a £1,000 top fine and five years in prison. The Record said reckless damage would carry up to 10 years, and gross negligence up to two. The government's own site, GOV.UK, said subsea telecoms firms would also face new security duties. It said the cables carry around 99% of UK international data, and undersea pipelines supply 74% of its gas.
These are proposals, not law. The Record said a 12-week public consultation closes on January 14, 2027. GOV.UK said the feedback will help shape the final plan. Neither source gives a date for a bill in Parliament. The Record said the government also wants powers to direct cable and repair firms on national security grounds, plus separate rules for fibre-optic sensing. Neither source spells out those rules. The Record also said officials from several countries told Recorded Future News they increasingly think the Baltic cable breaks were accidents. Prosecutions over the Estlink 2 damage, repaired at an estimated €50 million to €60 million, are still ongoing.
Online services that depend on traffic into and out of the UK rely on these cables. If the plan becomes law, telecoms firms that run subsea links would face new security duties, and the consultation lets industry give its views until January 14, 2027.