Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to strengthen the UK's relationship with the US in relation to defence operations and funding.

The UK-US defence relationship is as strong as it has ever been.

On operations, our forces have fought side by side in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today we are together combating terrorism and violent extremism in the Middle East and Africa, maintaining freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf, providing reassurance to NATO Allies in Eastern Europe, providing training and other support for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, undertaking counter-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa, countering the narcotic trade in South America and the Caribbean, fighting Ebola in West Africa and providing nuclear deterrence for NATO.

Beyond joint operations, our collaboration spans the full spectrum of defence activity including intelligence sharing, nuclear cooperation, joint exercises and training, defence procurement, cyber, science and technology.

The US continues to value what the UK has always been able to offer: our leadership and partnership in addressing shared challenges, and a contribution to global operations that no other ally can match.

On funding, we have the largest defence budget in the EU and the second largest in NATO. We will spend 2% of our GDP on defence this year. We will invest over £160 billion over the next decade on our future force.

Our defence relationship with the US benefits from a healthy regular dialogue and strong personal relationships at the most senior levels.

Our Combined Chiefs met for the third time in recent history in the US in May to discuss our approach to shared challenges like ISIL and Russia and to ensuring that our forces are increasingly able to operate alongside each other.

When I met with the US Secretary of Defense earlier in the year he said that "our military collaboration is the cornerstone of both of our nations' security". I look forward to seeing him again next week at the meeting of NATO Defence Ministers where we will continue to look for opportunities to strengthen our relationship for our mutual benefit.