§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about British military involvement in NATO's forthcoming exercise Strong Resolve 2002. [36550]
§ Mr. HoonExercise Strong Resolve is NATO's largest exercise and is carried out every four years. This year, it is taking place between 1 and 15 March and involves some 26,000 troops from 26 nations. The United Kingdom is making a significant and balanced contribution to Strong Resolve 2002, including maritime, land, air and many specialist assets, such as signals units and other combat service support elements. Around 2,500 UK military personnel are taking part.