Chief of the Defence Staff

HC Deb 13 July 1998 vol 316 cc19-20W

Mr. Maples

To ask the Prime Minister what meetings he had with the Chief of the Defence Staff between 25 June and 2 July; and if the meetings were at the request of the Chief of the Defence Staff. [49549]

The Prime Minister

[holding answer 9 July 1998]: Ministerial colleagues and I met a large number of people, both service personnel and others in the period prior to the publication of the Strategic Defence Review, the most open and inclusive review of Britain's armed forces ever undertaken and in particular, at my request, I met the Chief of the Defence Staff on 29 June.