Written question asked by Lord Patten (Conservative) on Monday, 9 March 2015, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 March 2015. It was answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative) on Wednesday, 18 March 2015 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Gibraltar: Spain

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the actions of the government of Spain in the light of the incursion of a Spanish corvette into British Gibraltar territorial waters on 25 February.

Answer: The Royal Navy challenged the incursion by Spanish navy vessel Infanta Elena on 25 February, as it does all such unlawful maritime incursions in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. We backed this up by making a formal diplomatic protest to the Spanish government, as is our standard practice. Spanish incursions into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters do not weaken or undermine the legal basis in international law for British sovereignty over Gibraltar including British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. The British Government regularly makes clear this position to the Spanish government.

Secondary information