Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions have been held with the Government of the Irish Republic on what increases in co-operation are required to deal with the numbers of Russian shadow fleet vessels operating in British and Irish territorial waters.

Deterring and disrupting the Russian shadow fleet is a priority for the UK, and we are working closely with our allies and partners to do so.

Earlier this year the Secretary of State for Defence and the Irish Minister for Defence signed the refreshed UK-Ireland Memorandum of Understanding.

Under this Memorandum of Understanding, the UK Armed Forces and the Irish Defence Forces will strengthen their maritime security cooperation to develop improved response mechanisms to maritime security incidents in British and Irish territorial waters.