Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the strategic value of maintaining sovereign capabilities in military satellite communications.

The UK's military satellite communications programme is based on the principles of freedom of action, operational advantage and operational independence, and therefore 'sovereign control' is a core design tenet. This is regularly validated through the Department's requirements and investment approvals processes.

In order to deliver its tasks of providing assured, positive command and control of UK Armed Forces and support to other government departments, an appropriate level of UK sovereign control is required for this capability.