Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions he has discussed the UK's future engagement with the Galileo satellite programme with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

I have attended several international meetings with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, including the NATO Defence Ministers meetings, where the UK's future security and defence relationship has been discussed.

Similarly, I have regular meetings with my counterparts across the EU and the High Representative of the European Union at which matters of European defence and security, including the Galileo satellite programme, are discussed.

The UK is unconditionally committed to European security and believes that it is in the UK’s and the EU’s interests to have a deep and special future security partnership. Ministry of Defence and other British Government officials regularly discuss the UK’s future security relationship with the EU with the European External Action Service and European Commission.