CONSERVATIVE
New Forest East

FOREIGN AFFAIRS – DEFENCE OF NATO MEMBER STATES - 28 April 2014

FOREIGN AFFAIRS – DEFENCE OF NATO MEMBER STATES - 28 April 2014

Dr Julian Lewis: Given the danger that these tactics, if successful, will embolden Russia to do something similar against a NATO member state, as the Foreign Secretary suggested, is any thought being given to increasing the prominence of defence expenditure among Britain’s national priorities?

[The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr William Hague): Defence remains a very important priority for the United Kingdom, as my hon. Friend knows very well. These events mean that at the NATO summit in September, which we will be very proud to host in Wales, there will be increased consciousness of the need for NATO in Europe and of the need for confidence in the collective defence of NATO nations. I have already made the case at the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting that that will mean, over the coming years, some NATO nations that spend much less than 2% of GDP on defence having to think again and to increase their defence expenditure.]