Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Davies Excerpts

Monday 30th January 2017 Commons Chamber

[James Berry (Kingston and Surbiton) (Con)]

3. What recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on NATO’s 2% GDP spending target.

[Chris Davies (Brecon and Radnorshire) (Con)]

8. What recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on NATO’s 2% GDP spending target.

[Simon Hoare (North Dorset) (Con)]

13. What recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on NATO’s 2% GDP spending target.

--- Later in debate ---

[Sir Michael Fallon]

The battalions that NATO is deploying to the Baltic states and Poland are combat-ready forces, but they are defensive in nature, and constitute a proportionate response to deter Russian aggression in the region. The only people who believe this deployment to be escalatory are President Putin and the leader of the Labour party. It is extraordinary that the official Leader of the Opposition is not prepared to back the deployment of British troops in Europe, but now favours some kind of demilitarised zone.

[Chris Davies]

Discussions are taking place in the European Union about an EU defence system. What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to ensure that commitments on the part of our European allies to this new so-called EU army do not contradict commitments to spending 2% of GDP on defence?

[Sir Michael Fallon]

There is no agreement in the EU on the proposal for an EU army. We continue to make clear that nothing should undermine NATO, which remains the cornerstone of European defence, and we continue to press for closer co-operation between the EU and NATO. It is a fact, however, that 18 of the 22 EU members of NATO do not spend 2% of their GDP, and have much more to do to enable NATO to face the threats that confront it.