HC Deb 22 November 2001 vol 375 cc376-9W
Mr. Gray

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many exercises involving tactical air transport have been(a) cancelled and (b) reduced over the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [15229]

Mr. Ingram

Since 1 April 2000 when records on the cancellation of exercises involving the tactical air transport element began, 10 exercises have been cancelled. Records were not maintained before this date. The cancellation of these exercises has had no impact on our ability to conduct operations. Records of exercise reduction are not maintained.

Mr. Swayne

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the military exercises that have been cancelled in the last 24 months together with the reason for cancellation. [14470]

Mr. Ingram

The table covers those exercises from the Ministry of Defence's Defence Exercise Programme (which lists some 350 exercises each year), the exercise programmes of the Front Line Commands, the Permanent Joint HQ and the Defence Logistic Organisation HQ which have been cancelled in the last 24 months. It does not include unit-organised exercises, details of which are not held centrally and which could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Exercise name Dates Location Reason for cancellation
(a) (b) (c) (d)
Spirochaete 8–26 October 2001 UK UK assets withdrawn and re-programmed to another exercise
Highport 10 May 2001 Scotland Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Lonestar 31 May 2001 Scotland Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Lion Sun 15/99 October/November 1999 Cyprus Lack of funding
Ferro Ariete/Iron Ram November 1999 UK/Italy Operational commitments (Kosovo)
Cossak Steppe November 1999 Poland Operational commitments (Kosovo)
Winged Star December 1999 UK Operational commitments (Kosovo)
Gobi Dust November 1999 USA Operational commitments (Kosovo)
Druids Dance 8/99 November/December 1999 UK Operational commitments (Kosovo)
Rhino Charge 6–22 January 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Snow Shoe January-March 2000 Canada To reduce unit commitment
Thor/Odin Two 2-week reciprocal exercises March-December 2000 Denmark Cancelled by Host Nation
Ferro Ariete/Iron Ram March 2000 UK/Italy Operational commitments (Kosovo)
Marble Tor 2/00 29 April-13 May 2000 Gibraltar RAF Air Transport unavailable due to other operational and exercise tasking
Ponte Vehio 00 Two weeks April-November 2000 Italy Cancelled by Host Nation
Asterix Sapper Two weeks April-November 2000 France Cancelled by Host Nation
Gaulish Star 2/00 May 2000 France Operational commitments (Kosovo)
Pond Jump West 2/00 11 July-23 August 2000 Canada Operational commitments (Kosovo)
Lion Sun 03/01 4 February-4 March 2001 Cyprus RAF Air Transport unavailable due to other operational and exercise tasking
Lion Sun 3/01 5 February-5 March 2001 Cyprus RAF Air Transport unavailable due to other operational and exercise tasking
Ponte Vecchio/Tower Never confirmed Italy Cancelled by host nation
Bridge 00
Ponte Vecchio/Tower Never confirmed Italy Cancelled by host nation
Bridge 01
Iron Ram/Ferro Arriete 01 Never confirmed Italy Cancelled by host nation
Roman Eagle 01 Never confirmed Italy Cancelled by host nation
Arrcade Guard March 2001 GE Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Adventure Express 01 March 2001 Albania Cancelled due to concerns over force protection
Swabian Crusade 12–20 March 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Premier Link 19 March-1 April 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Thor/Odin Two reciprocal exercises March-December 2001 Denmark UK assets withdrawn and re-programmed to another exercise
Arrcade Guard 01 18–30 March 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Artful Image 12–16 March 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Gobidust/Steerspike n/a USA Cancelled by host nation
Pacific Kukuri 1/01 2 April-7 May 2001 Hawaii Cancelled by host nation
Cobb Ring 1–23 April 2001 USA RAF Air Transport unavailable due to other operational and exercise tasking
Cygnet Vine April/May 2001 Cyprus RAF Air Transport unavailable due to other operational and exercise tasking
Medicine Man 1 22 April-16 May 2001 Canada Operational commitments (Bosnia)
Rhino Charge April 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Ardent Ground 01 15 April-18 May 2001 Poland Cancelled by host nation
Druids Dance 3/01 14 May-3 June 2001 UK Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Active Improvement 7–18 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Cygnet Virgin May/June 2001 British Virgin Islands RAF Air Transport unavailable due to other operational and exercise tasking
Gaulish 3 21 May-3 June 2001 France Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Asterix 3 21 May-3 June 2001 France Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Pondjump West 1/01 30 May-11 July 2001 Canada Operational commitments (Kosovo)
Gloworm/Rattlesnake 9–23 June 2001 USA Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Mulberry Tree/Prickly 2–15 June 2001 USA Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Pear
Orient Express 1/02 30 June-13 July 2001 Belgium Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Paper Chase 19–30 July 2001 Germany Cancelled by host nation
Rhino Spear 01 1–15 July 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Orient Express 2/02 14–28 July 2001 Belgium Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Lion Sun 10/01 23 July-20 August 2001 Cyprus Operational commitments (Bosnia)
Asterix 4 July 2001 France Cancelled by host nation
Lion Sun 12/01 20 August-17 September 2001 Cyprus Operational commitments (Bosnia)
Wet Gap 1–15 October 2001 Germany Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Britannia Way/Iberian 15–26 October 2001 Spain Cancelled by host nation
Focus 01
Hard Flint 13 May-8 June 2000 Canada Operational commitments (Sierra Leone)
Collective Training 00 27 September-5 October 2000 UK National fuel crisis-uncertainty of impact on fuel reserves prevented deploying forces to exercise area

Exercise name Dates Location Reason for cancellation
(a) (b) (c) (d)
Snow Falcon 25 September-6 October 2000 Norway Operational commitments (Sierra Leone)
Jagged Corse 16–27 October 2000 Corsica Operational commitments (Sierra Leone)
Sqn Bilat 5/00 30 October-3 November 2000 Slovakia Operational commitments (Sierra Leone)
Ample Train March 2001 Europe RAF Air Transport unavailable due to other operational and exercise tasking
Collective Training 01 12–24 May 2001 UK Foot and mouth disease restrictions
Chef de Mission 24 September-5 October 2001 France Operational commitments (Veritas)