Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Russian Federation on that country's increased patrols near NATO airspace; and if he will make a statement.

We have made no direct representations to the Government of Russia on this issue. The UK strongly supports comments made by NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg last week calling on Russia to obey the norms of international air traffic and understand that he has plans to follow up with Russia directly on this point. NATO Foreign Ministers, including the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), will discuss Russia’s actions at the forthcoming meeting on 2 December. The UK strongly supports exploring options to improve military transparency between NATO and Russia.