HC Deb 22 July 1975 vol 896 cc277-9
9. Mr. Litterick

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will initiate a review of the purposes being served by the maintenance of military bands by his Department.

Mr. Robert C. Brown

A review of all Service bands was completed as part of the recent defence review. I have no plans to conduct any further examination.

Mr. Litterick

Does my hon. Friend agree that in the context of nuclear missiles and electronic guidance systems the 95 bands are no longer relevant for any military purpose? Does he also agree that the public relations and recruitment functions, which for a long time appear to have been a large part of the bands' activities, are now best carried out by the media and that, therefore, the bands' contributions to the cultural life of the nation might be better served if they were demobilised and reformed as civilian organisations forming music centres throughout the British Isles?

Mr. Brown

My hon. Friend will not be surprised when I say that I do not agree that the military bands are irrelevant. In my view silver, brass and military bands are a part of the tradition of this country which I hope we shall never lose. I think that my view is shared by the vast majority of the population.

Mr. Jessel

The Minister's reply will be warmly welcomed since the British Army bands are the envy of the world. In my constituency we are very proud of Kneller Hall where they are all trained. The Minister was very welcome on his recent visit there, as was the Secretary of State last week. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that, apart from the vital function of being morale boosters, these bands are worth their weight in gold because they are a big draw for tourists?

Mr. Brown

I cannot disagree with anything that the hon. Gentleman has said. I endorse all he has said about Kneller Hall. I should like to invite my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Mr. Litterick) to go to Kneller Hall and enjoy a band concert. Although military bands are much loved in this country, in my area brass bands from miners' lodges are loved just as much.

Mr. Hardy

Without in any way dissenting from the views advanced by my hon. Friend, may I ask him to be realistic and tell us whether the military bands actually earn any money either in Britain or abroad? If so, how much does it amount to in an ordinary year?

Mr. William Hamilton

And where does it go?

Mr. Brown

I certainly could not hope to give a direct answer to that question, because I am sure my hon. Friend the Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Hardy) will appreciate that the value of military bands in terms of tourism alone is incalculable.

Mr. Goodhart

Although I welcome the Minister's robust reply, may I ask him to remind his hon. Friends that both the Soviet Army and the Chinese People's Republic Army attach high importance to maintaining military bands?

Mr. Brown

I am sure that the people of the Soviet Union and of the Chinese People's Republic enjoy military band music, and indeed, silver and brass band music, as much as I and the majority of the people of this country enjoy it.