Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure regional security in the Middle East in addition to the deployment of Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels to the eastern Mediterranean.

The UK has deployed a significant support package to the region, including RAF surveillance aircraft in addition to the Royal Navy ships. They will be there to support regional stability and help prevent escalation. Royal Navy ships are configured for a range of scenarios including humanitarian and disaster relief operations.

The UK is regularly engaging at all levels with our Defence partners in the Middle East and will continue to do so as the current situation develops.

We are working with our international partners to prevent this situation spreading and causing wider instability. We remain committed to making progress towards a two-state solution.