In Defence Questions on Monday, Lucy asked the Minister, Philip Dunne, how much the UK is projected to spend on defence during this Parliament.

Furthermore, given the vote last week, Lucy asked whether the Minister agreed that we need to remain a key player on the international stage and use our influence to encourage our NATO allies to match our defence spending.

The Minister confirmed that the defence budget is projected to rise by 0.5% above inflation every year to 2020-21, and we will access up to £1.5 billion a year from the joint security fund by the end of this Parliament. This will be the first time in six years that the defence budget will increase in real terms.

He also stipulated that NATO remains the cornerstone of our defence, and we are leading players in influencing fellow NATO members to meet the spending commitment.