§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the military exercises which have been cancelled in this financial year, setting out the(a) date, (b) purpose and (c) reason for cancellation in each case. [137728]
§ Mr. IngramThe Ministry of Defence's Defence Exercise Programme lists some 350 planned exercises each year. These exercises range from smaller scale unit exercises, through to larger events involving joint inter-Service and/or international involvement. Inevitably, a larger number of those planned exercises have been cancelled so far this year than is usual: 72 per cent. owing to increased level operational activity, predominantly Operations Telic and Fresco, and 11 per cent. owing to decisions by host nations (other than the UK). A further 11 per cent. have been cancelled after being subsumed into other exercises or re-scheduled for the next financial year.
52WInformation on tactical training exercises organised by the Front Line Commands, the Permanent Joint HQ, the Defence Logistic Organisation HQ and by individual units is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.