Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the future presence and activity of the Royal Navy in the Strait of Gibraltar.

The Ministry of Defence continually reassesses the Royal Navy's mission in the Strait of Gibraltar, and the assets and people required to deliver it, to ensure that the UK Government's responsibilities can be carried out effectively and can meet evolving threats and future needs. The Royal Navy's Gibraltar Squadron will continue to challenge all incursions into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. The base infrastructure and the Gibraltar Squadron will continue to be modernised in line with the rest of the Royal Navy.

We have interpreted visits to be those ships proceeding alongside in Gibraltar. Records show that, over the period 1 September 2017 to 1 March 2018, there were 15 occasions where Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships visited Gibraltar, in addition to the Gibraltar Squadron that is permanently stationed there.