Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the cost of UK participation in EU defence proposals; whether such costs will be met from the UK's defence budget; and whether they will ensure that NATO will remain the military defence organisation for the defence of Europe.

As NATO's leading European ally, we remain fully committed to NATO as the cornerstone of European defence and security. As set out in the Political Declaration on the future relationship between the UK and EU, the Government has offered to cooperate closely on defence and security, as part of an ambitious Security Partnership, on a case-by-case basis, where of mutual benefit. The terms and costs of such cooperation will be subject to future negotiations.