HL Deb 17 June 1965 vol 267 cc193-5

3.10 p.m.

LORD INGLEWOOD

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will give an assurance that the disruption of the Territorial Army is no part of their defence policy.]

THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE FOR THE ROYAL AIR FORCE (LORD SHACKLETON)

My Lords, the rôle of the Territorial Army forms part of the current Defence Review and the question of its organisation must be linked with this. No decisions have yet been taken in respect of the Territorial Army.

LORD INGLEWOOD

My Lords, surely the noble Lord will appreciate that that Answer is very unsatisfactory. Whereas everybody understands that appropriate changes are necessary in Army organisation to meet changing defence needs, there can hardly be more damage to many Territorial Army units about to go on their annual training than to continue this uncertainty about their future role. They may feel that all the work that they will put into their training is going to be wasted.

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, if the noble Lord would ask me a question I should be glad to answer it.

LORD INGLEWOOD

My Lords, could I put it into the interrogative form and say: "Is the noble Lord aware…"?

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, the answer is, Yes.

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I would not wish to quarrel with the Government's decision to have a look at the organisation and size of our Reserve Forces, but can the noble Lord assure us that before any final and firm decision is taken with regard to the Territorial Army there will be really full consultation—and by this I mean much more than lip-service consultation—with the interests concerned? I am thinking particularly of the Council of Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Associations.

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Earl for his welcome of the rightness of the decision to review all aspects of Defence, and I am sure that all noble Lords would accept that in any Defence Review one should look at every aspect of it. About the point that the noble Earl asked, the Government have undertaken to consult the Council of the Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Associations, but it must be for the Government to reach a basic decision on principle on the future needs of the Volunteer Reserve Army before they can usefully discuss with the Council the means by which any change, if there is any, should be implemented.

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, may I, without commenting on the substance of the noble Lord's reply, make one small correction to what he has just said? I was not welcoming the decision he has announced; I was merely saying that I was not quarrelling with it.