Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has made to his NATO counterparts on meeting their commitment to spend at least two per cent of GDP on defence.

The UK is proud to be one of five NATO countries that meet the Defence Investment Pledge (DIP) to spend 2% of GDP on Defence. I am pleased with the progress the Alliance has made in reversing the trend in cuts to Defence spending. I reviewed progress with NATO Allies at the Warsaw Summit last July, by which time 16 Allies had increased Defence spending, and eight had committed to reaching the 2% guideline in national plans. Progress will continue to be monitored through regular NATO Defence Ministerial meetings.