§ Mr. SoamesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the objectives are of Government policy towards NATO. [120501]
§ Mr. HoonNATO remains the cornerstone of the United Kingdom's defence policy. Our strong support for the alliance is based on the collective defence it provides and its continuing contribution to a stable and secure European continent. The decisions taken at the Prague Summit on NATO enlargement, capabilities and the transformation agenda successfully reaffirmed the alliance as the key security and defence organisation. At Foreign and Defence Ministers meetings earlier this month, agreement on the NATO Response Force and the new Command Arrangements underlined allies' determination to deliver the capabilities needed to ensure NATO's relevance in today's security environment.