§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence which(a) exercises and (b) operational deployments were undertaken during (i) 2001, (ii) 2002 and (iii) 2003 by (A) HQ3 Commando Brigade, (B) 40 Commando Royal Marines and (C) 42 Commando Royal Marines; and if he will make a statement. [92798]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 23 January 2003]: In 2001, HQ 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines took part in Exercises, ROLLING DEEP, JMC 01, ARGONAUT 01 and SAIF SAREEA 2 and were operationally deployed to Kosovo. 40 Commando Royal Marines took part in Exercises DRUIDS DANCE, ROLLING DEEP, ARGONAUT 01 and SAIF SAREEA 2 and were operationally deployed to Afghanistan. 42 Commando Royal Marines took part in the WINTER Deployment, Exercises TARTAN RELIEF, FASTBALL and BLACKHORSE and were operationally deployed to Sierra Leone.
In 2002, 40 Cdo who took part in Exercise BLACKHORSE were operationally deployed to Afghanistan, as were HQ 3 Cdo Bde RM. 42 Cdo RM were operationally deployed to Northern Ireland.
Currently 40 Cdo are deployed with Naval Task Group 03 and will undertake training exercises in the Eastern Mediterranean. There have been no operational deployments in 2003.