§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the long-term purposes of the joint Five Power Exercises in the Far East to be held in 1970.
§ Mr. HealeyWe made it clear in the Supplementary Statement on Defence Policy, 1968 (Command 3701) that, apart from the general need to continue exercising our forces outside Europe after 1971, one of our main purposes in contributing to the Commonwealth Exercise in 1970 would be to demonstrate our continuing ability to deploy effectively significant forces overseas.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of United Kingdom participation in the joint Five-Power Exercise in the Far East to be held in 1970.
§ Mr. HealeyPlans for this exercise are not yet complete, but it would in any case be misleading to attempt to isolate the cost of a particular exercise. As I explained in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun) on 17th July last, the forces participating in this exercise would, if it were not held, be training elsewhere overseas.—[Vol. 768, c. 1397–8.]