MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK seeks effective Defence relationship with Spain.

Answering a question from Member of Parliament Lyndsay Hoyle, United Kingdom Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram said that the UK Government is “committed to developing an effective relationship with the new Spanish Government on all Defence matters, including those relating to Gibraltar”.

"The programming of Royal Navy ships (and Royal Fleet Auxiliary or Ministry of Defence owned/chartered vessels) to Gibraltar or to Spanish ports is dependent on a number of criteria including any specific requirements of the ship, available port facilities, logistical requirements, maintenance requirements or the need of the ship's company to undertake a period of rest and recuperation" Mr. Ingram told the Commons last this week.

Mr. Ingram said that the goodwill generated from visiting foreign ports makes a significant contribution to Defence diplomacy, the continuing development of bilateral relations and support to UK Industry.

"A balanced approach is, therefore, taken to ensure that Gibraltar and other ports in the region, including Spanish ports, are visited on a regular basis. In addition, Royal Navy ships en route to or returning from deployments east of Suez and Atlantic Patrol Tasks are routinely programmed to visit Gibraltar," he said.