Recommendation 14

HM Government Accepted

8 Government Response: Defence in Scotland: the North Atlantic and the High North The MOD’s High North Strategy commits the UK to working with regional Allies and partners, including through NATO, the Northern Group, and the Joint Expeditionary Force, aligning policy, activity and capability where possible and across all domains. We cannot do this alone. Whether in NATO, the Joint Expeditionary Force, or the Northern Group, the UK will work with close Arctic partners, aligning activity, capability, and policy wherever possible. The UK has a long record of attendance at all the major Arctic meetings and conferences. This includes the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik, and Arctic Frontiers in Tromsø, among others. We will continue to send delegations to such forums which provide a platform to demonstrate UK presence and influence in the Arctic, particularly showcasing the UK’s scientific expertise. The UK welcomed Norway taking on the Chair of the Arctic Council in May 2023. As set out above, we are committed to working with NATO, the JEF and the Northern Group to promote security and stability in the region. We are also engaged in Arctic- specific partnerships focused on defence and security. We remain a proactive member of the Arctic Security Forces Roundtable. The UK attended the most recent Arctic Security Forces Roundtable in Finland in April 2023, and we look forward to hosting the next virtual Arctic Security Forces Roundtable in October 2023. Finally, we continue to develop our strong bilateral cooperation with Arctic and non-Arctic Allies. Arctic countries include our closest Allies and partners as the region’s closest neighbour without territory. We do not believe that appointing a political Arctic Ambassador, as some countries have done, is the right approach for the UK. The UK’s interests in the Arctic are long-term, and we consider are responsibilities that best sit with relevant Ministers across the whole of government, with a lead coordinating Minister with responsibility for the Arctic across government within the FCDO. The FCDO Polar Minister is supported by the Head of Polar Regions Department, a senior FCDO official who oversees the development and implementation of the UK Government’s policy towards the Arctic, including through chairing the cross-Whitehall Arctic network. We are, however, recruiting a new UK Senior Arctic lead—at ambassadorial rank—which will bring additional resource to Polar Regions Department to strengthen the UK’s engagement with partners in the region.