HL Deb 10 January 2000 vol 608 c72WA
Earl Attlee

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How the Ministry of Defence defines "operations". [HL166]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The British Defence Doctrine publication formally defines operations as "A military action or the carrying out of a strategic, tactical, service, training, or administrative military mission; the process of carrying on combat, including movement, supply, attack, defence and manoeuvre needed to gain the objectives of any battle or campaign". On a day-to-day basis we would nomally consider operations to cover a range of military activities which British Defence Doctrine lists as ranging from combat, through deterrence, support to diplomacy, peace-keeping, peace enforcement, home defence, military aid to the civil authorities and non-combatant evacuations, to humanitarian aid.