§ 21. Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of Defence if he will make a statement on recent activities of the Royal Navy in the Gulf. [83976]
§ Mr. IngramThe Royal Navy maintains a permanent presence in the Gulf. For over 10 years it has made a valuable contribution to the Multinational Interception Force deployed in the Gulf to enforce Iraqi compliance with UN sanctions. The Royal Navy deployed in the Gulf also plays its part in the international campaign against terrorism. Beyond these ongoing commitments, a Mine Countermeasure Group deployed to the Gulf during November. This is a long-planned, routine deployment, to conduct bilateral exercises with a number of Gulf States, building on the successful bilateral training conducted in the region in the wake of last year's Saif Sareea II in Oman.
§ Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what British military units are deployed in the Gulf region. [83968]
§ Mr. HoonUnits from the UK armed forces are regularly deployed in the Gulf region.
For example, the RAF continues to patrol the no-fly zones over Iraq in support of UN SCR 688 which demanded that Saddam Hussein cease repression of his own people. The Royal Navy maintains a permanent presence in the Gulf to enforce sanctions on Iraq and as part of our contribution to the campaign against international terrorism. Two RAF Nimrod aircraft are also deployed to the Gulf region for the same purpose.
In addition to those continuing commitments, we have deployed 400 personnel to take part in a long planned United States-led biennial command post exercise in Qatar. A Mine Countermeasure Group is also currently undertaking a routine deployment to the Gulf in order to conduct bilateral exercises with a number of Gulf States.
A wide range of personnel are deployed throughout the region, from all three services, in support of defence diplomacy.