HC Deb 09 March 1998 vol 308 cc41-2W
26. Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what part preventive deployment plays in his Department's policy of defence diplomacy. [31429]

Mr. George Robertson

Defence Diplomacy is an evolving concept covering the means by which our Armed Forces can help shape a more secure and stable world. It does not include operational deployments and is therefore complementary to preventive deployments as a means of conflict prevention.