To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his policy on the armed forces in the light of responses to "Options for Change".

In parallel with other NATO countries and those of the former Warsaw pact, our policy is to restructure our forces to meet changed international circumstances. Although smaller, they will be more flexible, more mobile and better-equipped than ever before, and of a scale and quality appropriate to the challenges and risks of an unpredictable world.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reassessments he has made of the proposals in "Options for Change" in the light of potential changes in international security requirements.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. and learned Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Swindon (Mr. Coombs).