§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in accordance with the Helsinki Final Act, he proposes to invite Russian observers to attend the NATO exercise planned for September; if he will estimate the approximate cost; and if he will publish other details.
§ Mr. PymThe exercise planned for 80—is required to practice Britain's con-next September—Exercise CRUSADER tingency plans for mobilisation, defence of the United Kingdom and reinforcement of British Forces Germany; and it leads into a major BAOR field training exercise. More than 20,000 men and women of the Territorial Army will practise mobilisation and the majority will be moved to the continent in the sort of time scale which would be necessary in a real emergency. They will then join regular United Kingdom forces, and German and American forces for the field training exercise. It has not yet been decided which countries should be invited to send observers to the exercise under the terms of the Helsinki Final Act. That part of the exercise which concerns the defence of the United Kingdom will largely take the form of a study within Headquarters and Establishments.
Exercise CRUSADER 80 as a whole will be an important demonstration of our ability to reinforce British Forces Germany quickly and in strength, which is an essential element of our contribution to NATO's deterrent policy. The additional costs of the exercise are estimated to be 304W some £.8.5 million above normal annual training costs, and this is good value for the excellent training which the exercise affords.