§ Dr. Julian LewisTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes of role his Department has assessed to be required for the proposed EU rapid reaction force in consequence of the 11 September attacks. [18257]
§ Mr. HoonThere are no plans for a standing EU rapid reaction force.
While the capabilities being developed under the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) can also play an important role in any military response to international terrorism, the scope of ESDP should remain firmly focused on crisis-management tasks.