§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether Wintex '87 will involve the exercise of the national command authority in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;
(2) whether the scenario for Wintex '87 will be made public; and if he will make a statement;
(3) whether Wintex '87 will simulate the closure of essential service routes to the general public; and if he will make a statement;
(4) whether Wintex '87 will simulate the internment of subversives; and if he will make a statement;
(5) whether there will be any differences in the organisational involvement and scenarios as between Wintex '85 and Wintex '86;
(6) what will be the date and duration of the Wintex '87 exercise;
(7) what is the purpose of the Wintex '87 exercise;
(8) whether Wintex '87 is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation exercise; and if he will make a statement;
(9) whether Wintex '87 will have a nuclear phase; and if he will make a statement;
(10) whether Wintex '87 will have a chemical phase; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John StanleyExercise Wintex-Cimex is the ninth in a series of NATO-wide command post exercises conducted by Alliance members. It will take place from 4–17 March 1987. Its objective will be to test military command and control procedures and to exercise Alliance authorities in procedures intended for use in times of international tension and war. To ensure that procedures across the whole spectrum of a crisis are practised a nuclear consultation phase is always included. In the United Kingdom, Government Departments will be participating. Details of the scenario for the exercise and the play itself are classified, but are based upon NATO's 75W deterrence strategy. As in previous exercises, the full spectrum of NATO's procedures and plans for crisis management will be tested.