§ Mr. Keith SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to publish the statement on the Defence Estimates; and if he will make a statement. [83581]
§ Mr. George RobertsonI have made no decision on the publication date of the 1999 Defence White Paper. I am keeping the timing of publication under review in the light of developments in the Balkans. As I informed the House of Commons Defence Committee in February, the Defence White Paper will be a forward-looking policy document complementing the Annual Performance Report and replacing the Statement on the Defence Estimates.