UK has ‘credible’ plans for defence of OTs, Commons told

The UK has “credible contingency plans” in place for the security and defence of its overseas territories including Gibraltar, the House of Commons was told this week.

Alistair Carns, the Minister for the Armed Forces, was responding to a question from Labour MP Tan Dhesi, the chair of the defence committee in the Commons.

Mr Dhesi asked when security and defence arrangements for the OTs were last assessed.

“The UK maintains credible contingency plans for the Overseas Territories, and has strategically located bases in Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, Ascension Island, the Sovereign Base Areas on the island of Cyprus, and the joint UK/US base on Diego Garcia,” Mr Carns said in a written response to the question.

“These plans are kept under review to ensure they are commensurate to the threat.”

The strategic defence review published last year made clear that military bases in Gibraltar and other overseas territories “remain a critical element” in the defence of UK sovereign territory and interests.

In highlighting the importance of the OTs, the review said British sovereignty “must be protected against all challenges”, and the right to self-determination upheld.

But the UK has also been warned that the OTs could represent “a huge, soft underbelly” to UK interests.