I think that what was called the Crisis in Nato was largely resolved by Dr. Kissinger's presence at the Council meeting a week or so ago.

It is utterly irresponsible at this time of Crisis in Nato to propose major defence cuts.

These are command post exercises to test Nato Crisis management procedures, and do not involve troop movements.

Mr. Archie Hamilton: The Nato Crisis management exercise HILEX 14 was to have taken place from 4 to 9 March 1990.

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to replace the Nato Crisis management exercise HILEX.

First, it is astonishing that the Government had to be dragged to the Dispatch Box to discuss a major international Crisis in Nato instead of voluntarily making a statement.

Does the Minister agree that the responsibility for resolving the current Crisis in Nato lies with both sides, and that we must not allow multilateral treaties, international law or even the UN and NATO to become collateral damage in the legitimate desire to disarm Iraq?

Does my right hon. Friend agree that, although this is a great Crisis in Nato, it is more a sad comment on the parlous state of a once-great party?

That is no different from the arrangements for Nato Crisis management operations or, indeed, from those used by other international organisations, such as the United Nations.