Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has held recent discussions with her Swedish and Finnish counterparts on NATO membership.

The UK Government engages regularly with Finland and Sweden, including on security issues. The UK fully supports Sweden's and Finland's relationships with NATO as Enhanced Opportunities Partners (EOP), and we also cooperate through the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force. As two of only six EOP countries, Sweden and Finland make significant contributions to NATO operations and have enhanced opportunities for dialogue and cooperation with Allies. Any application for NATO membership must be a decision taken by Sweden or Finland alone, and the Government respects this position.