§ Mr. Maginnisasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) why it is proposed that adult recruits of the Royal. Irish Rangers should be trained at Strenshall, Yorkshire; and why he proposes to train the regiment's junior soldiers at a centre in England rather than at Ballymena;
(2) if he is satisfied that, should the proposal to have the regular element of the Royal Irish Rangers trained in England be confirmed (a) the morale and standard of training will not be adversely affected and (b) the regiment's status as the local regular regiment in the Ballymena area will not be damaged;
(3) what size he expects the permanent presence of the Royal Irish Rangers in Ballymena to be if the proposals to transfer training to England are carried out;
(4) if he will consider the possibility of combining Territorial Army training in Ballymena with the continued presence there of the Royal Irish Rangers; and whether any cost efficiency advantages can be identified;
(5) what estimates he had made of the comparative cost per recruit in the Royal Irish Rangers of training (a) at the Ballymena deport and (b) in any practical alternative location.
§ Mr. LeeI have nothing to add to the reply I gave the hon. Member on 21 February 1984. [Vol. 54, c.502.]