§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel were deployed on the jungle training exercises in Belize carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998. [71897]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonThe number of personnel who were deployed on jungle training exercises in Belize carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998 was 1,003.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the value of the air defence exercise in central Europe carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998. [71895]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonSeveral air defence exercises are conducted in central Europe each year. The major annual air defence exercise held in the region is the NATO exercise Central Enterprise. In 1997 Exercise Central Enterprise took place from 9–20 June. RAF participants comprised Tornado GR1, Harrier GR7 and VC10 aircraft, and flew a total of 18 sorties per day. The exercise offered a number of valuable training opportunities, particularly in the area of operations involving other NATO Nations.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of the six armoured battlegroup exercises in Canada carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998. [71893]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonDue to the deployment to Bosnia of a unit scheduled to take part in the armoured battlegroup exercises in Canada, only five armoured battlegroup exercises were carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998. The cost of these five exercises was £73.46 million.