Former Royal Navy chief questions security of UK’s offshore assets amid prospect of 'world war' over Ukraine conflict

Just three patrol boats routinely guard UK waters containing critical offshore assets such as oil platforms, undersea cables and gas pipelines, Lord West of Spithead said during a meeting in Westminster.

Lord West, who served as First Sea Lord from 2002 to 2006, highlighted that in the 1980s there were 17 Royal Navy vessels undertaking the same task.

The peer and Naval expert tackled the government over whether there was sufficient protection at present, amid heightened international tensions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and several attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, which have been blamed on the Kremlin.

Prime Minister Liz Truss has said the series of explosions which caused major damage were ‘clearly an act of sabotage’.

In response, Type 23 frigate HMS Somersetwas deployed to the North Sea.

Referring to the UK’s exclusive economic zone assets, which he dubbed the ‘offshore tapestry’, Lord West said: ‘We have some 300,000 square miles to be looked after and to guard this the Navy at the moment deploys three patrol boats

‘In the 1980s we had 17 ships.

‘Does the minister think three patrol ships are sufficient and what work is being undertaken to review the level of protection of these incredibly important national assets on the seabed in view of the current war in Europe and the possibility of a world war?’

Responding, defence minister Baroness Goldie said she did not recognise the figures and added: ‘He will know the constraint I am under in referring to specific operational activity.

‘We always keep an eye on operational requirement and that is why we plan scheduled maintenance to make sure we are always able to maintain the essential task which we require of the Navy.’

Lady Goldie also pointed to the ‘very exciting’ shipbuilding programme, which was seeing two types of frigate built simultaneously at UK yards.

Defence officials have insisted the first of Britain’s new fleet of frigates will ‘be in the water in 2023’ marking a ‘glorious’ new chapter in the nation’s maritime history.