§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the scenario of the exercise, Proper Watch, in 1989; on what dates and where it took place; if the United States Department of Defense took part; and if he will place a copy of the results of the exercise in the Library. [46819]
§ Dr. ReidExercise Proper Watch took place at RAF Bentwaters in May 1989. The exercise tested the procedures in place for responding to the crash of a US transport aircraft carrying nuclear weapons. The United States response forces participated in this exercise. A classified report on the exercise does exist, but for the reasons my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence gave to the hon. Member on 31 July 1997,Official Report, column 470, and under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice of Access to Government Information, I am not prepared to release the report.