Highland MP secures ministerial talks over spy ship fears in North Sea

A Highland MP has secured a UK Government ministerial meeting to discuss concerns about Russian spy ships appearing off the Caithness coast.

Jamie Stone, the MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter, asked the leader of the Commons for a meeting to consider the Westminster government’s plans to defend the North Sea from Russian interference – and the leader agreed.

Stone has argued that the North Sea is “a strategic resource, home to critical telecommunications infrastructure via subsea cables and remaining oil and gas reserves”.

Last year, the Royal Navy was involved in two interceptions of Russian vessels in UK waters, including monitoring an intelligence gathering vessel.

Stone warned that any potential interference needed to be prioritised as a matter of urgent national security.

He has previously raised the issue and met with defence ministers in 2023 regarding the sighting of the Admiral Vladamirsky off Caithness.

He said: “Just before Christmas, we discovered that not only a Russian spy ship was snooping about the North Sea off the coast of my constituency, but also a Russian submarine.

“It is crystal clear to me that this was anything but a goodwill visit. Our North Sea oil and gas infrastructure is a crucial strategic resource, as is also our expanding offshore wind power electricity generation network.”

Stone added: “We live in dangerous times, and we must defend these vital assets against any possible interference, such as cable severance or otherwise. I seek reassurance from our intelligence, security and defence authorities that we are fully up to speed on this matter.”