Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the future launch of the S-80-class submarine by the Spanish Navy, what steps he is taking to ensure that Spain respects the national territorial waters around Gibraltar.

We are confident of UK sovereignty over the whole of Gibraltar, including British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. The Royal Navy continues to challenge all incursions by State vessels into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office support this by making formal diplomatic protests to the relevant authorities.