Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for the Armed Forces of 26 November 2018, Official Report, column 14, which stakeholders he is consulting on the development of the UK Defence Arctic Strategy.

A wide range of UK Government and international stakeholders are being consulted. Inputs are being gathered from a wide cross-section of the Ministry of Defence, including the Armed Forces and across Whitehall, including key stakeholders in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department of Transport and the Cabinet Office.

Once initial UK Government positions have been considered, we will engage extensively with international allies and partners, to ensure that the strategy effectively addresses their perspectives and priorities.

This stakeholder engagement builds on the Department's existing engagement with academic institutions and think tanks which have assisted in the development of its position on the Arctic to date.