Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Oral Answers to Questions

Patrick Grady Excerpts
Monday 20th May 2019

(4 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton Portrait Mark Lancaster
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I had the enormous pleasure of visiting that battle group only last week in Estonia and was tremendously impressed not least by the way it is demonstrating our interoperability with our NATO allies.

Patrick Grady Portrait Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) (SNP)
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What steps is the Secretary of State going to take to minimise or indeed eradicate the practice of double counting spending in both the 0.7% aid target and the 2% NATO military spending target?

Penny Mordaunt Portrait Penny Mordaunt
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I think I will have to issue an explanatory note for the hon. Gentleman on this. If we are trying to spend ODA money on things that are not ODA eligible, it is not ODA; it is as simple as that. We do not mark our own homework on either ODA spend or the NATO 2% commitment, and instead of asking these questions repeatedly at both International Development and Defence questions the hon. Gentleman should take some pride in the fact that the United Kingdom makes both those commitments.