HC Deb 22 May 1984 vol 60 c821
13. Mr. Proctor

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future deployment of manpower within the armed forces.

Mr. Heseltine

I refer my hon. Friend to the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1984", which was published on 14 May. As I made clear in the statement, all three services are undertaking a series of studies to transfer manpower from the support areas to the front line. My objective in the area of service manpower, as in all other areas of defence expenditure, is to achieve the most efficient teeth-to-tail ratio.

Mr. Proctor

In view of the need to curb public expenditure, will my right hon. Friend continue with his manpower redeployment plans to achieve a cost-effective means of keeping within cash limits, irrespective of the vested inter-service interests, which always come out on these occasions?

Mr. Heseltine

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. I shall pursue that direction of policy. An important feature of the recent White paper is that about 4,000 soldiers are being moved from support areas to the front line, that there will be an enhancement of perhaps 20 per cent. in our destroyer and frigate fleet and that there will be up to 15 per cent. more fighting aircraft with existing manpower in the RAF.

Mr. McNamara

In regard to the tail, is the Secretary of State examining the support services of the BAOR, especially the large civilian element there, and thinking of bringing any of them back to the United Kingdom?

Mr. Heseltine

I can confirm that we are examining comprehensively all of the support areas. That does not mean that we have plans in any particular area.