Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Andrew Murrison and Stephen Gilbert
Monday 14th January 2013
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(11 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Stephen Gilbert (St Austell and Newquay) (LD)
Thank you, Mr Speaker. NATO figures show that Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and many other alliance countries are spending less than 2% of their GDP on defence. What is the Minister doing to make sure that all alliance countries pull their weight?
Dr Murrison
The hon. Gentleman is quite right. Only three countries in NATO spend the target 2% of GDP on defence—Greece, ourselves and the US. This point becomes particularly important since the announcement in January last year by the US President about his change in posture. The hon. Gentleman can be certain that at NATO ministerial meetings we will make the point time and again that we cannot have the umbrella that NATO gives us if we do not underwrite the cost.