PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(7 September 2026)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential risk of interstate conflict and military escalation arising from competition for arable land, water and critical minerals, as set out in the national security assessment on global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security.

Asked by:
James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises that competition for scarce resources poses a significant risk to regional and global stability. The MOD works closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, the Met Office, Defra, the UK Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre, and internal analysis teams to monitor and assess these risks.

Answered by:
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