Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government on what basis they determined that 2.5 per cent of GDP funding is an appropriate target for defence spending.
Spending 2.5% of GDP on defence balances the need to invest in defence capabilities to respond to growing threats and ensure the UK remains secure at home and strong abroad with the wider demands on Government spending. It also represents an ambitious increase on the NATO Defence Investment Pledge, and would be the highest level of Defence spending since 2010 (under the last Labour Government).