EU Defence

Michael Gove
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the European Defence Agency's plans to create an EU defence research budget; and what contribution the UK will make to such a fund.

Des Browne
There are no plans for the European Defence Agency (EDA) to create an EU defence research budget. The priority for the Government in relation to the EDA is to increase the amount spent on research and technology within Europe not to centralise these resources. The United Kingdom continues to work with the Agency and partner nations to achieve this aim and to ensure that, through mutually beneficial cooperation, we may leverage the maximum value from the money spent in this important area.