§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of a continuing role for NATO alongside an independent European defence policy;
(2) what is his policy in respect of the establishment of permanent forces of the WEU, in respect of their effect on the role and position of NATO.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe Government welcome the development of a European defence identity and fully support the development of the Western European Union (WEU) as a means to strengthen the European pillar of the Atlantic alliance. NATO will remain the principal guarantor of stability throughout the North Atlantic area and the forum for agreement on policies bearing on the security and defence commitments of its members. We do not advocate the establishment of permanent WEU forces or headquarters. Our approach, which is reflected in the WEU's Petersberg declaration of June 1992, is that WEU member states should make available military units from the whole spectrum of their conventional armed forces for the WEU's use in situations where NATO is not involved. These units will be drawn from forces with national and NATO roles, in the latter case after consultation with the alliance.
§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the effect of the new European defence proposals, involving rapid deployment of forces, potentially over long distances, on the United Kingdom defence budget.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe Petersberg declaration of June 1992 made it clear that military units which will be made available to the Western European Union will be drawn from the forces with national and NATO roles. NATO's new strategic concept emphasises the need for armed forces to be mobile and flexible. The defence budget agreed in the 1992 public expenditure survey took account of the restructuring of Britain's armed forces in line with the requirements of the strategic concept.