Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to the implications of the EU’s plans for a European Defence Union for the role of NATO, in any discussions on future UK–EU defence cooperation after the UK leaves the EU.

The details of our future security partnership with the EU are subject to negotiation, which we expect to begin soon.

As outlined in the Government's Future Partnership paper on Foreign Policy, Development and Defence, published on 12 September 2017, NATO will remain the cornerstone of our defence. However, the EU has an important defence and security role, both in its own right and in partnership with NATO and others.

We remain firmly opposed to any measures that remove or undermine the sovereignty of nations over their armed forces, or lead to competition and duplication with NATO. Going forward, our objective is to ensure that the EU's contribution to defence and security is complementary to, and respects the central role of, NATO.