Written question asked by Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party) on Tuesday, 1 September 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 15 September 2026. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Tuesday, 15 September 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Defence: Protest

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the rights to protest and privacy are not infringed by the pilot project to use underground fibre optic cables as sensors at a defence site, announced in their press release of 24 August; and whether they will publish further information on the project, including the company involved.

Answer: The UK will be trialling a cutting-edge pilot project that tests the transformation of fibre optic cables into a AI-enabled sensor network. The scope of this AI-enabled fibre-optic sensor network pilot programme is bounded to an HMG owned location, which ensures the sensor network will not impinge on protesters privacy or their legal rights to protest. The Department will publish further information about the project and the companies involved in due course.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: HL2792
Session: 2026-27
Subjects: Defence Pilot schemes Protest Optical fibres Telecommunications cables
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk