Chad: EC Defence Policy

Dr. Fox
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many RAF (a) C-17 Globemaster, (b) C-130K Hercules, (c) C-130J Hercules, (d) Tristar and (e) VC-10 aircraft will be used in the forthcoming EU Mission to Chad and the Central African Republic;

(2) how many British service personnel of each (a) branch of service, (b) unit and (c) rank will take part in the EU mission to Chad and the Central African Republic;

(3) what contact he has had with his counterparts in (a) Chad, (b) the Central African Republic and (c) Sudan on the EU mission to Chad and the Central African Republic; and if he will make a statement;

(4) how many British military personnel are (a) based and (b) expected to be based in Mont Valerien, France in support of the EU military mission to Chad and the Central African Republic.

Mr. Bob Ainsworth
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has not met any of his counterparts in Chad, the Central African Republic (CAR) or Sudan to discuss the forthcoming ESDP mission to Chad/CAR. However, the issues relating to force generation and funding for this mission were discussed at the recent EU Defence Ministers informal meeting in Portugal which he attended. He emphasised that the UK supported the mission as an important contribution to regional stability and a resolution of the Darfur crisis, but made it clear that the role of the UK armed forces would be very limited given the extent of our commitments elsewhere.

There are no plans for RAF aircraft to be used in the mission, and the British personnel to be involved will be four staff officers provided under the standing EU headquarters augmentation procedures. Under these arrangements, each EU member state undertakes to provide specified numbers of personnel to augment the nominated operational headquarters and force headquarters for an EU mission once these have been activated.

For the Chad/CAR mission, the UK will contribute a Commander (Royal Navy) and a Lieutenant Commander (Royal Navy) who have already deployed to the French operation HQ at Mont Valerien in Paris, and a Commander (Royal Navy) and a Squadron Leader (Royal Air Force) who will deploy with the French force headquarters to Chad/CAR. The parent unit for all four staff officers is the permanent joint headquarters based at Northwood.

Dr. Fox
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which EU member states are contributing to the EU military mission to Chad and the Central African Republic; and what each is contributing.

Mr. Bob Ainsworth
All discussions on force contributions for the EU military mission to Chad and the Central African Republic up to this point have been indicative. The formal force generation conferences will take place on 9 and 14 November.

I will write to the hon. Member with more detail once these conferences have been completed.