§ Mr. StinchcombeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria are used to determine which requests for military training by overseas security forces should be granted. [15198]
§ Dr. ReidRequests for training are considered in the light of the Government's ethical foreign policy. Training would not be provided where we considered that it would risk contributing to human rights violations or aggression. Other criteria used to determine which requests for military training by overseas security forces should be granted include: the availability of resources to carry out the training; security considerations; and the defence and foreign policy benefits of providing the training. The defence policy benefits taken into account include in particular whether the provision of military assistance would
bring direct benefit to the United Kingdom by (for example by providing access to training areas);represent an investment to avoid later expense (for example by averting a conflict in an area where there would be a high likelihood to British forces being committed);help to build military interoperability with key potential partners; maintain existing close defence links;support defence sales.