Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on UK access to the Security Action for Europe fund.

We welcome all European efforts to increase defence spending and provide the critical capability uplift needed by Europe, including through the EU’s European Defence Readiness / ReArm initiatives and the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument.

SAFE was formally adopted by the European Council on 29 May 2025. Alongside the UK’s recently agreed Security and Defence Partnership with the EU, the UK now meets the criteria for discussing participation in the SAFE instrument. Recognising the important role that the UK’s world-leading defence industry plays for European security, the Defence Secretary has already engaged Commissioner Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space, on our ambition to swiftly explore the potential for enhanced cooperation under SAFE. We also continue to engage allies bilaterally, including through the recent Lancaster House modernisation 2.0, to ensure we are all contributing to a more resilient defence industrial base for Europe.