HC Deb 14 January 2002 vol 378 cc14-6
13. Mr. Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre)

What plans he has to adjust defence capabilities to cope with terrorist attacks. [24474]

The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Geoffrey Hoon)

The work being conducted in the Ministry of Defence on a new chapter to the strategic defence review is designed to ensure that we have the right concepts, forces and capabilities in place to deal with the threats that were manifest on 11 September. That work builds on the sound foundation of the strategic defence review, which left the United Kingdom well placed to meet the additional challenges that we now face.

We are considering our capabilities to counter and deter terrorism abroad, and the role of the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces in the defence of the United Kingdom.

Mr. Dawson

I agree that the SDR has proved a robust tool for the purpose of defence planning. Can my right hon. Friend assure me that Members of Parliament, and indeed members of the public, will have an early opportunity to contribute to the new chapter?

Mr. Hoon

I can give that assurance. The work will be done in an open and inclusive manner. We will in February make available discussion material setting out the range of areas that we are considering. It will reflect our emerging thinking, and we will seek views. I hope that that will give interested parties an opportunity to contribute, but let me emphasise that we will welcome contributions from Members of Parliament, members of the public and others with particular interests or expertise at any time.

Mr. Julian Brazier (Canterbury)

I welcome any opportunity to strengthen this country's anti-terrorism defences, but does the Secretary of State know of any example of its embarking on an overseas anti-terrorism peacekeeping mission over the past 50 years without that mission's being prefaced with confident remarks about it all being over in a few months, followed by finding ourselves involved for years and years?

As we take more and more units off for peacekeeping anti-terrorism operations around the world, is a single operational brigade left in the British Army, with all its troops, that could be sent at short notice to fight a war somewhere?

Mr. Hoon

I can give the hon. Gentleman the example that he seeks. The mission concerned took place in Macedonia for 30 days in August last year.

Mr. Nigel Beard (Bexleyheath and Crayford)

Srebrenica experienced an appalling atrocity on NATO's doorstep, in which 8,000 innocent people were killed. The perpetrators of the crime and their whereabouts are known. Why is it taking so long to bring General Mladic and Radovan Karadzic to justice?

Mr. Hoon

Obviously, given the opportunity of bringing either of those people—who are indicted war criminals—to justice, British forces would take it.

Mr. Crispin Blunt (Reigate)

The Secretary of State is doubtless familiar with the Defence Select Committee's report on the 1998 SDR, which said that the government's manifesto promised a 'strategic defence and security review' … we are still awaiting the strategic security review. In a sense we have received a two-dimensional review of a three-dimensional world". The three-dimensional world is now upon us, and the Government are wrestling with that. Does the Secretary of State agree that it would be rather better if the Ministry of Defence paid closer attention to the Select Committee's work?

Mr. Hoon

All Ministers always pay the closest possible attention to the work of Select Committees. Let me take this opportunity to congratulate the Defence Select Committee, as it was then constituted, on its recommendations, which will play an important part in the work that we are currently doing.