Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with (a) the European Commission and (b) other European governments on the updating of the European Security Strategy; and if he will make a statement. [181064]

Dr Murrison, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for International Security Strategy: The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has not discussed updating the European Security Strategy with the European Commission. Ahead of the 19-20 December European Council discussion on Defence, an informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers, attended by the Secretary of State, discussed whether such a strategy was necessary. The UK did not support an update of the European Security Strategy.

While there was no consensus on updating the European Security Strategy, the European Council on Defence, attended by the Prime Minister, invited

"the High Representative, in close co-operation with the Commission, to assess the impact of changes in the global environment, and to report to the Council in the course of 2015 on the challenges and opportunities arising for the Union, following consultations with the member states".

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