Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to ensure that UK defence priorities are not subordinate to EU capability development priorities.

The UK continues to conduct its defence policy according to its own priorities and to assess EU capability development initiatives on that basis. For example, the UK decided not to join Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO). The Government has said that it may wish to participate in some EU capability development projects as part of the future partnership, on a voluntary and case-by-case basis where of clear benefit to the UK. The Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration provide such options to cooperate.