Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the extent to which the Joint Expeditionary Force assists in improving stability and security in the (a) North Atlantic, (b) Baltic Sea Region and (c) High North.

Defence Ministers from the ten members of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) met in Helsinki on 30 June to 1 July 2021, signing new Political Direction which sets the strategic policy and political context in which the with which the JEF operates. As befits its membership, the principal geographic area of interest for the JEF is the High North, North Atlantic and Baltic Sea region (although it is also able to operate further afield, if required). The JEF is configured to make a key contribution to security challenges in the region by providing credible options for responding rapidly to crises and being able to operate persistently across all domains below the threshold of conflict; either in its own right or in support of other multinational organisations, such as NATO.