§ Mr. Cabornasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Britain will be joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation force in the RIMPAC exercise in the central Pacific; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StanleyI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 4 February at column122.
§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Defence which surface vessels will remain deployed in the north Atlantic during the RIMPAC exercise.
§ Mr. StanleyIt is not our practice to detail the planned operational deployment of HM ships.
§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Defence how the RIMPAC exercise relates to the strategic issues of United Kingdom defence policy.
§ Mr. StanleyEffective collective defence is one of the cornerstones of our defence policy. The Royal Navy therefore takes as many opportunities as it can to exercise with the navies of allied and friendly powers.
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§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Defence what effect the deployment of the Royal Navy vessels for the RIMPAC exercise and to defend the Falkland Islands have on the United Kingdom's naval commitment to NATO.
§ Mr. StanleyThe vessels concerned remain assigned to NATO and could be recalled to the NATO area at any time.
§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Defence what queries and representations he has received regarding the RIMPAC naval exercise; and which of these have been referred to the United States authorities.
§ Mr. StanleyI am not aware of any representations. Certain hon. Members have tabled parliamentary questions about this exercise and there have been a few press inquiries. When our armed forces are to participate in an exercise sponsored by another country, it is our normal practice to liaise as necessary with that country's authorities when responding to queries about that exercise.