HC Deb 16 September 2004 vol 424 c1765WS
Ann Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on how much(a) manpower and (b) finance of the UK's national defence will be tied into the European defence policy. [188795]

Mr. Hoon

Under the Helsinki Headline Goal, the United Kingdom has offered up to 12,500 troops, 18 warships and 72 combat aircraft to EU operations. However, these national forces are made available to EU operations on a voluntary, case-by-case basis, as for NATO or UN operations. UK contributions to such operations are provided from within existing forces.