Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer 2 April 2025 to Question 41781 on Sovereignty: Greenland, what steps he is taking to support the the (a) Government of Greenland and (b) the Kingdom of Denmark.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary and I have been clear that Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and the future of their constitutional arrangements is a matter for the people and Government of Greenland, and the Kingdom of Denmark.
We look forward to working with Greenland's new government and will continue to maintain strong ties with all parts of the Kingdom of Denmark. I have met Greenland's Foreign Minister twice since taking office and have also discussed bilateral cooperation with the Faroese Foreign Minister. The Prime Minister hosted Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen in London on 4 February for bilateral discussions.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his polices of the diplomatic relationship between the US and Denmark.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK maintains strong relations with both the US and Denmark, including as close NATO Allies, and on the shared priority of security in the High North.
The UK has a longstanding policy of respecting self-determination. The Foreign Secretary and I have been clear that Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and the future of their constitutional arrangements is a matter for the people and Government of Greenland, and the Kingdom of Denmark.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of recent remarks from the United States administration on the sovereignty of Greenland.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK maintains strong relations with both the US and Denmark, including as close NATO Allies, and on the shared priority of security in the High North.
The UK has a longstanding policy of respecting self-determination. The Foreign Secretary and I have been clear that Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and the future of their constitutional arrangements is a matter for the people and Government of Greenland, and the Kingdom of Denmark.
Asked by: Lord Monks (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks by the President of the United States of America about a possible American takeover of Greenland; and whether they have discussed this matter with the Kingdom of Denmark.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
As the Foreign Secretary has made clear, Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and the future of their constitutional arrangements is a matter for the people and Government of Greenland, and the Kingdom of Denmark. The Prime Minister met with the Prime Minister of Denmark in February. The readout is available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 23270 on Denmark: Politics and Government, whether the territorial integrity of Greenland was discussed in these meetings.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Foreign Secretary and I have repeatedly and publicly made clear, Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and the future of their constitutional arrangements is a matter for the people and government of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials and I have reaffirmed this position in engagements with Danish and Greenlandic counterparts since January.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant of the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 23271 on Faroe Islands and Greenland: Politics and Government, what the Minister of State for Europe and North America discussed with his counterparts from Greenland in those meetings.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I have met with Greenlandic Foreign Minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, twice since taking office. The first time, at the Arctic Circle Assembly in October 2024, we discussed the UK's Arctic policy, security, trade and bilateral relations. The second time in London, in January 2025, we discussed the Kingdom of Denmark's chairship of the Arctic Council in 2025, Arctic policy, security, trade as well as bilateral relations.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the status of the agreement reached between the UK and Denmark in 1917 on the sovereignty of Greenland.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
There were discussions between the UK and Denmark about Greenland's status in the early 20th Century, but our position remains that Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and that the future of their constitutional arrangements is a matter for the people and government of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark as the Foreign Secretary and the Minister of State, Stephen Doughty, have repeatedly and publicly made clear.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterpart in Denmark on the US interest in Greenland.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary and I have repeatedly and publicly made clear that Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and that the future of their constitutional arrangements is a matter for the people and government of Greenland, and the Kingdom of Denmark.
The UK has a strong relationship with all parts of the Kingdom of Denmark and recognises the strategic importance of Greenland. We are working with our North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Allies to ensure the stability and security of the High North and North Atlantic areas.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark on (a) Greenland and (b) the Faroe Islands since taking office.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK values its strong partnerships with all parts of the Kingdom of Denmark and engages accordingly. On 13 January, I held my second meeting with Greenland's Foreign Minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, in London, to discuss bilateral relations. This followed our first meeting at the Arctic Circle Assembly in Iceland in October. I also met the Faroese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Høgni Hoydal, in October. FCDO Officials regularly engage with Danish, Faroese and Greenlandic counterparts to discuss bilateral cooperation.
Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, when he last had discussions on the security of the (a) North Atlantic and (b) Arctic with his counterparts in (i) Iceland, (ii) Norway, (iii) the Faroe Islands, (iv) Greenland, (v) Denmark, (vi) Canada and (vii) the US.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
We regularly discuss the security of the North Atlantic and Arctic with Allies and Partners, including through NATO and the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force. The Government's Arctic Policy Framework, Looking North: The UK and the Arctic, complemented by the UK's Defence Contribution in the High North, set out the UK's aspiration for a safe, secure and peaceful region. We will continue to work with Allies and Partners to ensure the long-term security and stability of the region.