European Security and Defence Policy

Part of Orders of the Day — Regulatory Reform Bill [Lords] (Programme) – in the House of Commons at 11:10 pm on 19 March 2001.

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Photo of John Redwood John Redwood Conservative, Wokingham 11:10, 19 March 2001

In that case, can the Minister explain why the EU force—I think that it is an army—needs a military committee, a political committee to direct it, beefed-up strategic intelligence and extra transport? Is it not, in practice, a scheme for a comprehensive military force that does things that NATO does not want to do—not under NATO command and not in co-operation, but separate and deliberately so? Have not the Government lost to the French on that very issue?