Select committee: Defence Committee

The Government’s Brexit position paper: Foreign policy, defence and development: a future partnership paper inquiry

Closed Opened 16 Nov 2017 Closed 16 Nov 2017

Defence Committee Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗

Inquiry scope (the committee's words)

In this evidence session the Committee will examine the implications of the Government’s Brexit position paper: Foreign policy, defence and development: a future partnership paper.

Where it stands

The inquiry is closed, opened 16 November 2017.

The committee has published 1 report, most recently 6th Report - The Government's proposals for a future security partnership with the European Union on 8 June 2018.

The government's response

Published 22 September 2018.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government's response to the Committee's questions sets out its aim for a flexible, case-by-case security partnership with the EU, with the exact arrangements said to depend on negotiation.

On timing, the government says its "preferred course" is for the future CFSP and CSDP partnership to be brought into effect during the Implementation Period, "providing suitable arrangements could be reached". It says entering the partnership before leaving the EU is not possible.
On CSDP missions, the government confirms it intends to participate "on a case-by-case basis" and only after an autonomous UK decision. It says it would not deploy UK troops unless "fully satisfied" with objectives, military plans and execution.
On PESCO and the European Defence Fund, the government says third-state participation arrangements are "still to be agreed" and it "cannot give a definitive answer" on military mobility involvement. It is concerned the draft Fund regulation "could exclude future UK participation".
On parliamentary scrutiny, the government is "committed to providing both Houses with opportunities for scrutinising" its EU exit approach and will provide "opportunities for debate". The response does not commit to a specific debate or date.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error

Reports

6th Report - The Government's proposals for a future security partnership with the European Union8 June 2018

All reports

Evidence

2 oral evidence sessionsLatest 6 February 2018

All evidence

Recent activity

10th Special Report - The Government's proposals for a future security partnership with the European Union: Government Response to the Committee's Sixth Report22 September 2018, Report published
6th Report - The Government's proposals for a future security partnership with the European Union8 June 2018, Report published
Letter, dated 29 May 2018, from the Secretary of State, Department for Exiting the European Union to Chairman on Framework for the UK-EU Security Partnership5 June 2018, Correspondence

Reports

1 report

6th Report - The Government's proposals for a future security partnership with the European Union

HC No.: HC 594
Published: 8 Jun 2018
Items: 0
Government response: Government response published 22 September 2018. Read the government's response ↗

Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions

On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys.

Date	Session and witnesses	Source
6 Feb 2018	Oral evidence session No witnesses recorded	View ↗
5 Dec 2017	Oral evidence session No witnesses recorded	View ↗

Correspondence

2 letters

On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys.

Published	Direction	Letter
5 Jun 2018	Not recorded	Letter, dated 29 May 2018, from the Secretary of State, Department for Exiting the European Union to Chairman on Framework for the UK-EU Security Partnership
5 Jun 2018	Not recorded	Letter, dated 17 May 2018 from Chairman to Secretary of State, Department for Exiting the European Union on the Framework for the UK-EU Security Partnership