Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the National Security Bill on diplomatic relations with the Government of Cyprus.

The bilateral relationship between the UK and Cyprus has never been stronger. Our shared commitment to working together on a wide range of priority areas is underlined in the 2019 Defence and Security Co-operation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the comprehensive bilateral MoU signed last year. The National Security Bill (NSB) will ensure that the UK can continue to protect its sensitive sites under UK law, as is currently the case under the Official Secrets Act 1911. As Lord Sharpe said when he made a statement in the House of Lords on 18 January, the NSB will in no way contravene the 1960 Treaty of Establishment of the Republic of Cyprus.