§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Outreach programme of the Defence Diplomacy Mission since July 1998. [51258]
§ Mr. IngramThe Government are committed to strengthening stability and security in central and eastern Europe, the Caucasus and central Asia by offering assistance with defence and security sector reform. The Outreach programme was launched by the Ministry of Defence in the early 1990s to engage the 27 countries of the former Warsaw pact, the former Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia in defence cooperation relationships. Centred in the Defence Diplomacy Mission, the Outreach programme seeks to assist in the development of stable, sovereign and democratic states throughout the region through its programmes of bilateral defence cooperation.
At the highest level, a principal measure of the success of the Outreach programme is the accession to NATO of countries it supports. The Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland secured membership of NATO in 1999; and a further nine countries—Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Albania, Macedonia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania—are candidates for NATO membership this year.
More generally, across the region Outreach has been successful in:
Developing a major programme of English language training (ELT);Seconding civilian and military special defence advisers to assist directly with the defence reform process in host nation Ministries of Defence;Establishing a British Military Assistance Training Team (BMATT), based in the Czech Republic but providing training for the countries in the region;Providing individual and collective military training both in-country and in the UK;Providing resettlement training in Russia for over 13,000 retiring and redundant Russian military officers at seven centres around Russia;Contributing positively to multinational initiatives, such as the Baltic Defence College, the Baltic Battalion and the Baltic (Naval) squadron;The development of robust and valued bilateral relationships with countries across the region.
§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have been enrolled in the Defence Diplomacy Scholarship at the Joint Services Command and Staff College in each year since 1998; how many have graduated from the scholarship in each year since 1998; and if he will make a statement. [51254]
§ Mr. IngramThe Defence Diplomacy Scholarship Scheme was one of the initiatives announced in the Strategic Defence Review. The scheme provides an opportunity for foreign military officers and Government officials to study for an Msc in Global Security or undertake the Managing Defence in a Democratic Market Based Society short course, at Cranfield University at the Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham.
421WSince the inception of the scheme in July 1999 the number of students that have enrolled and graduated on each course under the scheme are:
Msc in Global Security
- Academic year 1999–2000–10 students
- Academic year 2000–01–12 students
- Academic year 2001–02–11 students (course finishes August 2002)
Managing Defence in a Democratic Market Based Society short course
- 7 February to 24 March 2000–30 students
- 12 March to 27 April 2001–26 students
- 4 June to 19 July 2001–26 students
- 24 September to 9 November 2001–23 students
- 11 March to 26 April 2002–20 students.
§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many short-term training teams were sent out under his Department's Outreach programme in each year since 1995, stating in each case(a) the destination, (b) the number of personnel involved, (c) the purpose of the mission, (d) the cost of the mission and (e) the duration of the mission; and if he will make a statement; [51257]
(2) how many attachments were made under his Department's Outreach programme in each year since 1995, stating in each case (a) the destination of the attachment, (b) the number of personnel involved, (c) the purpose of the attachment, (d) the cost to his Department and (e) the duration of the attachment; and if he will make a statement; [51256]
(3) how many training courses have been set up under his Department's Outreach programme in each year since 1995, stating in each case (a) where the training course was set up, (b) the number of personnel involved, (c) the purpose of the training course, (d) the cost to his Department and (e) the duration of the course; and if he will make a statement. [51255]
§ Mr. IngramAs part of the Defence diplomacy mission, the Outreach programme of bilateral defence co-operation in Central and Eastern Europe contributes to international stability by assisting countries in the region to establish democratically accountable, cost effective armed forces capable of contributing both to national and regional security and, increasingly, to international security through participation in peace support operations. Training courses, attachments and short-term training teams are core components of the Outreach programme, and the full details requested by the hon. Member will take time to assemble. I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.