Written questions

Shipping: English Channel

2026-06-16 · Ministry of Defence · 10681 · Official question

James Cartlidge

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of protections in place for UK-registered civilian vessels in the English channel from Russian military vessels.

Answer

Defence maintains a constant presence in UK waters to uphold maritime security and deter threats, with a combination of surface and sub-surface vessels, maritime patrol aircraft, and autonomous assets ready to support.Royal Navy ships closely monitor Russ...