Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Military Operations Without United States Support

Monday 20 September 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial Defence conducts assessments on UK's ability to carry out military operations independently and with allies.
  • The United States is highlighted as a cornerstone ally of NATO, with significant military spending.
  • France is noted for its close relationship with Britain on complex weapons, counter-terrorism, and operations in Africa, Iraq, and Syria.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Edward Leigh Con Gainsborough
Defence
Context

MP Edward Leigh questioned the UK's ability to conduct military operations without US support following the withdrawal from Afghanistan, highlighting concerns about reliability.

Question

What recent assessment has been made of the UK's ability to conduct military operations without the support of the United States?

Answer from Ben Wallace

The Ministry of Defence conducts a range of operations, domestically and overseas, both independently and jointly with allies, including with the United States. We keep our operations and our broader military posture under continuous active review.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide recent assessment or specific details about UK's capability for independent military operations.

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Q2 Edward Leigh Con Gainsborough
Foreign Affairs
Context

MP Edward Leigh followed up on UK's relationship with France, questioning the government's commitment to improving ties, especially regarding migration and other strategic issues.

Question

Following Afghanistan, will the Secretary of State commit to working closely with France on various issues like migration? Will he involve France in new relationships in the Pacific?

Answer from Ben Wallace

I listened to my right hon. Friend's points. The United States and France are our closest allies; the US is the cornerstone of NATO, outspending other nations. France has a close relationship with Britain on complex weapons, counter-terrorism, Africa, Iraq and Syria. I have an extremely close relationship with my French counterpart, speaking regularly.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific commitments or actions regarding involvement of France in new strategic partnerships.

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