Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to lay the security and defence agreements signed between the UK, Sweden and Finland before Parliament under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010; and if she will make a statement.

The Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 makes provision for treaties subject to ratification first to be laid before Parliament. The Act's definition of a treaty does not capture arrangements which are not legally binding under international law.

The joint statements made between the UK and Finland and the UK and Sweden on 11 May both note that they are political declarations and are not legally binding obligations under international law. The statements in their entirety were published on gov.uk immediately after their signature. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/international/foreign-affairs#policy_and_engagement