Dr Julian Lewis: What recent assessment has the Foreign Secretary made of the state of relations between the UK and Argentina?

The Minister for Europe (Chris Bryant): We have a very close and productive relationship with Argentina on a range of issues, including in the G20, on climate change, sustainable development and counter-proliferation. We have absolutely no doubts whatever about our sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, nor over the islanders' right to develop a hydrocarbon industry within Falkland waters.

Dr Lewis: Is the Minister satisfied that there remains enough defence capability in the Royal Navy to deter Argentina from any mistaken reversal of position, going back to military adventurism, given that we now have almost as few destroyers in the Royal Navy as there are Liberal Democrat Members attending this session of Foreign Affairs questions?

Chris Bryant: I am not in charge of Liberal Democrat attendance, although it is sometimes better to have fewer rather than more. We are confident that we have what we need to be able to maintain the security of the islands, but it is important to bear in mind that the Argentines have made it very clear, even in some of the noises off that they have been making, that they are not talking about blockading the Falklands, and they are not talking about returning to the 1980s. That should be a reassurance to us all, although of course we should never be complacent.