Oral Answers to Questions

Gavin Newlands Excerpts

Monday 23rd October 2017 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Gavin Newlands (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (SNP)]

1. What recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on defence co-operation after the UK leaves the EU.

[Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)]

9. What recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on defence co-operation after the UK leaves the EU.

[The Secretary of State for Defence (Sir Michael Fallon)]

Our foreign policy, defence and development paper set out our ambition for a strong partnership when we leave the European Union. We are unconditionally committed to European security, and we will work closely with our European partners to defend our shared values and to confront shared threats. Our long-standing commitment to NATO nuclear deterrence remains the ultimate guarantee of our security.

[Gavin Newlands]

The UK is leaving the EU and the single market just when the EU is providing large funds for co-operation on procurement, and research and development. Will the Secretary of State ensure that the UK defence industry has continued access to EU projects and to co-operation with the European defence sector?

[Sir Michael Fallon]

That is exactly what we will try to ensure, as we set out in the paper that was published a few weeks ago. We want our defence companies to stay close to the European Defence Agency and other collaborative programmes on the continent, a number of which are in shared ownership with companies in Europe.