§ 25. Mr. DickensTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of whether the United Kingdom defence capability is sufficient to safeguard the realm and to respond to NATO obligations and United Nations demands.
§ Mr. HanleyThe assessment of the balance between commitments, capabilities and resources is a continuous activity within the Ministry of Defence. "Defending Our Future", the 1993 statement on the Defence Estimates (Cm 2270), set out our assessment of the tasks our armed forces are called upon to undertake and the capabilities we deploy. The Government remain confident that the armed forces are able to carry out the broad spectrum of 141W operations which they currently undertake: for our own protection, contributing to collective defence with our allies through NATO, and promoting our wider security interests through support for the maintenance of international peace and stability.
§ 26. Mr. Roy HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to meet his Western European Union counterparts to discuss future policy relating to the middle east.
§ Mr. HanleyWhilst my right hon. and learned Friend regularly meets his WEU counterparts, future policy relating to the middle east is not currently on the agenda for the next planned meeting.