Defence Secretary (): AUKUS is a
groundbreaking strategic defence and security partnership, and a
clear demonstration of our long-term commitment to support the
security and stability of the Indo-pacific region and beyond.
Against an increasingly unpredictable, interconnected landscape,
with a war in Europe and rising tensions in the Middle East,
partnerships with our closest allies are vital to deterring our
adversaries and maintaining that strategic advantage. The
following statement is to update the House on AUKUS developments
since this Government was elected.
Built on decades of integration, sharing and cooperation on
defence and technology between our three nations, it is
particularly significant that we secured landmark export control
changes to benefit AUKUS partners last month. This marks a
historic breakthrough in defence trade collaboration between
AUKUS nations, which will streamline future cooperation, create
jobs and boost growth.
On 16 August 2024, the Government published the UK's AUKUS
Nations Open General Licence. Combined with a new exemption to
the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) for the
UK and Australia, alongside further national exemptions for the
UK and US in Australia's export control framework, this is a
milestone moment in deepening the potential of our tri-nation
partnership. Taken together, these changes will significantly
ease our licencing requirements for the export and sharing of
certain defence products within and between the UK, US and
Australia, including advanced capabilities, technical data, and
defence services.
These groundbreaking reforms will facilitate faster and more
efficient collaboration between our scientists, engineers, and
defence industries. These changes alone will support up to £500
million in UK defence exports each year, generating billions of
dollars of trade across all three nations – improving access to
international trade with our closest allies, whilst driving
economic growth in communities across the UK.
We can also report further progress in delivering on the
ambitious pathway to support Australia's acquisition of a
conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability.
On 5 August 2024, AUKUS partners signed a trilateral Agreement on
Cooperation Related to Naval Nuclear Propulsion. This is a
significant step that will facilitate the sharing of submarine
naval nuclear propulsion information between partners as well as
enabling the future transfer of material and equipment to
Australia for the safe and secure construction, operation and
sustainment of this important capability. The Agreement was laid
in Parliament on 2 September 2024, as part of the UK ratification
process; it is undergoing similar processes in the US and
Australia.
This Agreement reaffirms and is consistent with partners'
respective non-proliferation commitments: our cooperation will
continue to be undertaken in a way that is fully consistent with
our international obligations and sets the highest
non-proliferation standard whilst protecting classified and
controlled information, material and equipment.
As part of our and the US's support to Australia, AUKUS partners
commenced the Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period at HMAS
Stirling in Australia, on 23 August 2024. This represents another
important advance for the partnership, with Australian personnel,
supported by a U.S. Submarine Tender and observed by Royal Navy
officers, participating for the first time in the maintenance of
a nuclear-powered submarine – to ensure Australia are on track to
operate, maintain and regulate their future conventionally-armed
nuclear-powered submarine (SSN) capability.
AUKUS is making significant progress. As a long-term strategic
partnership, it is appropriate that this Government considers how
best to deliver on the UK's considerable ambition for AUKUS and
to maximise the benefits of this national endeavour.
To capitalise on the full suite of economic and security benefits
of AUKUS, Sir has been appointed as the
UK Government's AUKUS Adviser, to assess UK progress against
AUKUS goals. Sir Stephen has invaluable experience, having served
as Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence and as National
Security Adviser at the time of the AUKUS announcement in
September 2021.
The AUKUS report will be completed rapidly and will set out any
existing barriers to success alongside areas of opportunity the
UK could be taking advantage of, ensuring defence and economic
benefits are properly considered. Sir Stephen's findings will be
presented to the Prime Minister, the Defence Secretary, the
Foreign Secretary and the Chancellor, with the report's
conclusions reflected in the broader Strategic Defence Review
already underway.
AUKUS is the most significant defence, security, and diplomatic
arrangement the UK has entered in the past 60 years. This
Government is fully committed to this national endeavour: working
with partners, stakeholders and industry to achieve the maximum
economic and security benefits possible, while upholding
stability, peace, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and
beyond.
