Armed Conflict (Parliamentary Approval)

The right hon. and learned Member for Kensington and Chelsea used the example of the Iraqi no-fly zones. Our armed forces are engaged on a range of operations and activities as we speak. Training teams, liaison officers, attachés and advisers are deployed across the world; ships and submarines—particularly submarines bearing nuclear weapons—are continuously patrolling the oceans; British peacekeepers are supporting UN operations around the globe; and of course the lion’s share of our deployed service personnel are currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. It would be unduly burdensome, both for Parliament and the management of the armed forces, to consult—