§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress made in(a) planning for non-combatant evacuation operations, (b) organising joint exercises, (c) improving links between operational headquarters, (d) co-ordinating naval deployments, (e) exchanging information on peacekeeping activities, (f) millennium computer compliance solutions, (g) common resourcing of logistics and (h) arrangements for dealing with the media in the light of the St. Malo Accord; which units, offices and desks are involved; and when the next ministerial meeting to discuss these issues is planned. [89822]
§ Mr. George RobertsonSignature of the Letter of Intent on crisis management and operations has allowed good progress to be made in co-operation with France, as shown particularly in Kosovo operations. Specific examples of co-operation covered by the Letter of Intent are: the posting of liaison officers into operational headquarters; the attachment of HMS Somerset, and latterly HMS Grafton, to the French FOCH Carrier Task Group in the Adriatic during the Kosovo conflict; the joint signing ceremony in New York on 25 June of Memoranda of Understanding between our respective Governments and the UN on troop availability for UN peacekeeping operations; and co-operation on media handling during the Kosovo conflict.