§ 9. Mr. St. AubynWhat assessment he has made of the current operational roles of the Parachute Regiment. [31411]
§ Dr. ReidThe operational roles of all elements of the Army are being looked at as part of the strategic defence review.
§ Mr. St. AubynI thank the Minister for his reply, which was not as comprehensive as the leaks to the press over the weekend. Will he confirm that the identity, traditions and, above all, command structure of the Parachute Regiment will not be changed as a result of his Department's strategic defence review?
§ Dr. ReidI am delighted to pay tribute to the glorious history of the Parachute Regiment and the contribution that it has made to the armed forces in a relatively short space of time.
I should not have to tell the hon. Gentleman not to believe everything that he reads in the newspapers. My answer may not have been as accurate or as long as the leaked report, but at least it was my own. The leak had nothing to do with any Labour Member of Parliament. Contrary to the ill-informed speculation in the leak, no one is talking about disbanding the Parachute Regiment or, for that matter, the Marines, but like all other elements of the ground forces, the land command and the wider forces, they are being subjected to scrutiny. The whole purpose of the foreign policy-led review is to ensure that we have a force configuration that relates to today's security analysis, not the past. We want to have useable, effective forces for the future, and even those which have had a glorious past may have to adapt owing to the new security situation.
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. I call Mr. Brazier, who served in the Parachute Regiment.
§ Mr. BrazierThank you, Madam Speaker. Does the Minister agree that the special qualities and military skills of the Parachute Regiment and of its supporting airborne, engineer, artillery and logistic units go far beyond their means of delivery on to the battlefield and should be highlighted, not watered down, in the review? Does he also agree that the two Territorial Army Parachute Regiment battalions and other airborne and commando units are among the best and most flexible units in the TA?
§ Madam SpeakerMy research is very good.
§ Dr. ReidYes, the hon. Gentleman is a fine big man.
13 The qualities, character and ethos of the Parachute Regiment are well known, and I have the highest regard for it. The hon. Gentleman ran through the capabilities of various units associated with the regiment, but he will not expect me to guarantee that nothing will ever change, for the Paras or for any other unit. However, I assure him that the qualities of the Paras are well known and appreciated, and that no one is talking about disbanding this famous regiment. We want to build on the abilities of our units to enhance their effectiveness in the face of new security threats and our response to them. The Parachute Regiment always played an honourable role, and it will do so in the new configuration.
§ Mr. Bob RussellIf newspaper reports prove correct and the Parachute Regiment, in a new form, moves to the garrison town of Colchester, where 24 Air Mobile Brigade is based, I can say that it will be given a warm welcome. Does the Minister agree that the traditions of the Parachute Regiment will continue, as did those of the cavalry regiments following mechanisation? I believe that there is a future for the Parachute Regiment, albeit in a different guise, and welcome the Minister's assurance that it will live on.
§ Dr. ReidI thank the hon. Gentleman and note his comments. If those press reports are accurate, I must have spent the past eight months undertaking a different defence review from the one the newspapers have reported.