Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the policy paper entitled Integrated Review Refresh 2023: Responding to a more contested and volatile world, published on 13 March 2023, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the policies set out in that paper on the Indo-Pacific.
Answer
As an early priority for this Government the Defence Secretary hosted the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Australia to reaffirm the Government’s commitment to AUKUS and our Indo-pacific partners. The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) will identify ways to nurture the UK's defence ties to the Indo-Pacific region, and to do this will consider existing policy and consult widely, drawing on expertise including from the Defence community, Parliament, academia and industry.