Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential contribution of the Arctic and Antarctic to British foreign policy objectives.

As the nearest neighbour to the Arctic, we remain committed to working in partnership with our allied Arctic States to maintain the region as one of low tension, while continuing to make a significant contribution to Arctic science, security and environmental protection.

The UK is committed to upholding and strengthening the Antarctic Treaty System and maintaining our leadership on Antarctic policy and science, especially on the implications of climate change.