Defence policy

This paper provides details and links for ministerial statements and parliamentary debates (from both Houses of Parliament) that cover international affairs and defence.

On 26 February 2020, the Prime Minister set out the government’s approach to the Integrated Review of security, defence, development and foreign affairs. This paper provides links to a selection of news, analysis and comment on the upcoming Integrated Review.

This short Commons Library briefing paper examines UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

The Ministry of Defence published a review of the Service Police as part of a wider review of the Service Justice System. This Commons Library briefing paper discusses who the Service Police are, what they do, and the outcome of the review.

In a vote in July 2016 the House of Commons approved the decision to maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent beyond the early 2030s. After almost a decade of work on the project, that vote subsequently enabled the programme to move forward into its manufacturing phase, which will see the construction of four new Dreadnought class ballistic missile submarines over the next 15-20 years.

In February 2020 the Government confirmed the existence of a replacement warhead programme for its nuclear deterrent. A decision on replacement has been long-awaited, with work on possible options underway since 2006.

The tables in this paper provide a summary of the UK and EU positions in the future relationship negotiations, based on their proposed draft treaty texts and other publicly available statements

A number of initiatives to further the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy have been agreed, with the participation of the UK, since the Brexit referendum in 2016. What do they entail and what will be the impact for the UK now that it is no longer an EU Member State?

This paper provides an update on the first three rounds of negotiations on the future UK-EU relationship and analysis of the draft new partnership treaty tabled by the EU in March 2020

The investigation of former British soldiers who served in Northern Ireland during “The Troubles” is currently receiving a significant amount of media and parliamentary attention as a result of several ongoing court cases. It is, however, the result of a process which began over a decade ago.

The Government has announced up to 20,000 military personnel will be put on standby to support the public services as part of a new Covid Support Force. This Commons Library briefing paper looks at when the armed forces can be deployed in the UK and how this might apply during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The UK has played a key role in EU defence and foreign policy co-operation. How will that co-operation be affected now that the UK has left the EU and entered the transition period?

The UK and EU begin negotiations over their future relationship this week. This paper outlines the UK and EU's objectives, the main issues of contention and the process being followed in the negotiations