As part of the work following on from the strategic defence review, a comprehensive review of the distribution of defence attachés has been carried out. The outcome was agreed between the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at the end of last year, and the resultant new distribution of attachés is being implemented from 1 April 2000 over a two-year period.

I am pleased to inform the House that the number of countries with permanent British attachés in post will increase from 75 to 80. That is consistent with the strategic defence review, which gave a general assessment that increased priority should be given to support for defence diplomacy in central and eastern Europe and to the provision for operational military advice and assistance in sub-Saharan Africa. The increase in our attaché presence in central and eastern Europe will enhance the provision of support to the outreach programme in particular.