UK critical infrastructure at risk from climate change, say MPs

A parliamentary inquiry accuses ministers of a ‘severe dereliction of duty’ in failing to prepare for extreme weather events.

An engineer fixes telephone lines brought down by Storm Arwen (Danny Lawson/PA) (PA Archive)

Britain’s national security is being jeopardised due to the failure of ministers to prepare for the increasing risks of extreme weather events due to climate change, a parliamentary inquiry has warned.

The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy said the UK’s critical national infrastructure (CNI) had been left exposed due an “extreme weakness” at the heart of Government.

In what it described as a “severe dereliction of duty”, the committee said no minister was prepared to take responsibility for ensuring the resilience of vital power, transport and communications networks – even though climate change was a recognised national security risk.

It is hard to imagine the Government taking such a lax approach to any other recognised national security risk

Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy

It warned major power blackouts, floods, landslides blocking roads, floods and buckling train lines due to extreme heat had the potential to create a series of “cascading” risks affecting other infrastructure elements.

“We have found that the Government has very little grip on a critical national security risk,” the committee, which is made up of senior MPs and peers, reported.

“Climate risks have previously been categorised as Tier 1 national security risks, but a grave lack of ministerial responsibility and accountability has left a gaping hole at the centre of government on this pressing future risk to UK CNI.”

The committee highlighted Storm Arwen last November when almost million people lost power, the Stonehaven rail tragedy when three people died in a derailment following torrential rain, and the failure of railway drainage systems which almost caused the National Blood Bank in Bristol to flood as examples of the problems the country faced.

It took evidence during the last summer’s 40C heatwave when the country was facing significant rail disruptions, flight delays and power cuts due to another extreme weather event.

However the committee said it was astounded the minister nominally responsible for CNI resilience – the then Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis – refused to appear before it due to his “lack of command” of the issue.

“This acknowledgment of his lack of command of this issue – the reason given for his refusal – was in itself shocking, and suggests a severe dereliction of duty on the part of the Government,” the committee said.

“It appears that no minister is taking responsibility for this topic, and there are no cross-cabinet committees driving forward the Government’s work on adaptation and CNI resilience.

“It is hard to imagine the Government taking such a lax approach to any other recognised national security risk.”

The committee called on the Government to appoint a minister of state for CNI resilience with a team within the Cabinet Office to focus on the issue across a range of national security threats and hazards.

It said there should be a programme of regional exercises to ensure locally-based responders – such as the emergency services, the NHS and local authorities – are properly prepared for extreme weather events.

Committee chair, former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett said: “Storm Arwen showed how quickly the effects of a power shutdown can impact on other sectors.

“These cascading crises are a major danger to the functioning of the UK economy, and to society – that’s why this is a serious risk to national security.

“This Government must finally recognise that prevention is better than cure and move on from their dangerously reactive approach to risk management.”

A Government spokesperson said: “There are robust systems in place to protect critical national infrastructure from the effects of climate change. This includes work through the national adaptation programme led by Defra, and the National Infrastructure Commission led by HMT.

“In the Cabinet Office, we have created a standardised approach to help departments capture and mitigate risks to critical infrastructure.”