Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the strategic military importance of Gibraltar to the UK.

The UK continually monitors our defence presence in Gibraltar and routinely adjusts our force posture and resources as appropriate. Gibraltar is, and will remain a key centre for the UK's Defence interests and the UK Government takes its responsibility for protecting the sovereignty of Gibraltar very seriously. The UK maintains a permanent military presence in Gibraltar in recognition of its enduring geo-strategic importance as the gateway to the Mediterranean, assuring maritime transit routes and maintaining access to Cyprus and the Suez Canal in support of UK national interests.