University and Cadet Forces (Hansard, 20 June 1995)

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, the defence costs study assumed no level of savings against the services' involvement in universities and the cadet forces. However, we are considering how greater value for money can be obtained in all university and cadet force activities.

§ Lord Craig of Radley
My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply. Does the noble Lord agree that the cadet forces provide a most valuable source of high calibre recruits for the Armed Forces? Can he confirm that the stability which has been promised to the Armed Forces will also apply to the arrangements made as a result of the defence costs study for the cadets and the university service units and that they will be allowed a long period in which to carry out their excellent work?

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, I would be the first to join the noble and gallant Lord in confirming that the cadet forces and the various university forces provide a very valuable source of recruits, although I do not believe that that is their principal value. I believe that their principal value goes far wider than my department; it benefits the entire community and society as a whole. It is for that reason that I and colleagues in my department have had discussions with other departments and especially with my noble friend Lady Blatch in the Home Office on how we can extend assistance to the role of the cadets in various ways.
I should also like to see as much stability as possible throughout the cadets and the various university forces. It is right, however, to continue with a certain amount of work which is in hand to identify savings in terms of bringing greater cost effectiveness while not in any way seeing a diminution of the role of the cadets or of the various university officer training corps or the university air squadrons and their naval equivalent.

§ Lord Northbourne
My Lords, is the Minister aware that many of us who work with young people who are disturbed, difficult and disadvantaged appreciate very greatly what he says about the attention he is giving to the possibility of extending the cadet force, which is such an enormous help in reinforcing the self-confidence of such people?

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, the noble Lord makes a very valid point. We would certainly like to do whatever we can to see where cadets can help within the community. That is why, as I said, I have been having discussions with other colleagues throughout government.

§ Lord Mayhew
My Lords, is the Minister aware that his statement is both important and encouraging? Does he recollect a recent debate on the cadet forces which emphasised that although they are useful to the Armed Forces, it is their non-military work which is absolutely 151 essential for the community? If the Minister's reply means—as I believe it does—that he is in touch with other departments to increase the cadet forces, that would be very warmly welcomed.

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, that is exactly the point I was trying to make. Obviously, the cadets have some military role, but we believe that their wider role goes beyond the department. However, that is not a reason why the department would seek to abandon them. We feel that they can contribute a great deal to society.

§ Lord Monkswell
My Lords, bearing in mind the major expansion in the number of universities over the past few years with the incorporation of polytechnics and so on as universities, will the Government consider undertaking a major public review of the involvement of the Armed Forces in universities and other areas of post-school education?

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, I am grateful that the noble Lord recognises the major expansion of higher and further education under a Conservative Government that has taken place over 17 years. As regards whether a major public inquiry is necessary to examine the role of the university air squadrons, the university officer training corps or the university royal naval units, that is another matter. But we will continue to support those we have and on some occasions we will establish new ones. We established six new university royal naval units in various universities in September last year. We will continue to keep the position under review.

§ Viscount Allenby of Megiddo
My Lords, with the closure of the junior training establishments which provided so many good young men and women straight from school into the regular forces, does the noble Lord agree that the role of the cadets is vital today? Will he confirm that all initiatives which are proposed by the cadet organisations will be supported by the Government?

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, that depends very much on what initiatives they are. The role of the cadets is very, very important but one should not overstress that role in terms of recruiting. It could very easily damage their role in terms of what they do in the community if they were thought purely to be a recruiting organisation. We recognise their value in terms of recruiting but they are not principally a recruiting organisation.

§ Lord Williams of Elvel
My Lords, in response to the question of the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Craig, about stability, I understood the Minister to say that there was a certain stability but that there were still areas where cost savings might or might not be achieved. In view of the fact that there is apparent stability for the rest of the Armed Forces, can we hear from the noble Lord exactly what cost savings the Government are studying—and where—in the cadet force, as well as a response to the other matters mentioned by the noble and gallant Lord?

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, to give just one or two examples, I can confirm that the headquarters of the air cadets and the headquarters of the university air squadrons are being co-located at RAF Cranwell and that that will bring significant savings of something of the 152 order of £600,000. We think that there are other aspects of the organisation, particularly of the army cadet force and the air training corps, where rationalisation could be achieved without affecting the service provided to the cadets, and we will continue, as I said, to pursue those.

§ Lord Craig of Radley
My Lords—

Noble Lords
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