An Economic and Social Evaluation of the UK Sub-sea Cables Industry

This research report seeks to estimate the value of the UK subsea cables industry, considering its value to 1) the digital economy, and 2) the electricity industry. An initial estimate of the economic value of the UK telecommunications subsea cables industry to the digital economy values it at £62.8 billion per annum. The impact of the UK electricity subsea cables industry is smaller but still significant at £2.8 billion per annum. The economic value of the UK subsea cables industry both for the telecommunications and energy sectors is then measured in more detail using the Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) modelling approach that has increasingly overtaken the more traditional Cost Benefit Analysis approach to computing economic values. This analysis also provides estimates of the impact of changes in the industry on various sectors of the economy, as well as on the macro economy. Yet first a qualitative research methodology, namely a Comprehensive Impact Evaluation Framework is applied to identify benefits of the UK subsea cables industry to multiple stakeholders in the telecommunications and energy sectors. By identifying the relevant direct and indirect stakeholders, this ensures that the CGE models developed are as accurate as possible. The stakeholder analysis also allows us to going beyond a monetary analysis of the potential benefits of the subsea cables industry, by identifying the range of stakeholders positively impacted by the presence of the UK subsea cables industry.