§ Sir John StanleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the restrictions imposed by the Spanish Government on the movements of NATO military aircraft and warships in the vicinity of Gibraltar and in transit between Spain and Gibraltar; and what steps have recently been taken by the UK Government to have these restrictions lifted. [77379]
§ Mr. IngramNATO Standardised Agreement (STANAG) 1100, sets out the procedures for visits to NATO and non-NATO ports by naval ships of NATO nations. This Agreement contains a reservation, inserted by the Spanish Government, which prevents visits by NATO ships to or from Gibraltar directly to or from Spanish ports. Any request by military aircraft from NATO (or other) nations, which has Gibraltar as a departure or arrival airfield, to overfly or land in Spain is routinely denied by Spanish authorities. We understand that NATO has no plans specifically to discuss the restrictions imposed by Spain on NATO ships and aircraft. Discussions between the British and Spanish Government in the context of the Brussels Process aim to resolve all outstanding issues between the United Kingdom and Spain over Gibraltar.