To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his French counterpart on (a) European Security and Defence Policy and (b) NATO. (154253)

I attended the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris on 14 July, where I met the French Defence Minister for bilateral discussions. I also had the opportunity to meet him at the end of September in the course of the EU Defence Ministers' informal meeting in Portugal.

On both occasions we discussed a range of issues, including the European Security and Defence Policy and NATO.