§ Mr. ThorneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current composition of the Home Service Force in terms of (i) its establishment, (ii) numbers currently recruited and (iii) what weapons and equipment are issued; and what are his plans for expanding the Home Service Force.
§ Mr. FreemanThe current establishment of the Home Service Force is 4,497; recruited personnel numbered approximately 3,157 as at 31 May 1988. The Home Service Force is issued with standard Army weapons and equipment appropriate to its operational role. It is planned to increase the establishment of the Home Service Force to 5,000 by 1990.
§ Mr. ThorneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria led to the formulation of the tasks of the Home Service Force; what assessment was made as to the numbers and establishment of a Home Service Force necessary to be able to perform such tasks; and what are the age limits for membership of the Home Service Force.
§ Mr. FreemanThe Home Service Force is intended to draw on the pool of manpower who have had some prior military training and who therefore can fulfil a useful role with a minimum of training. It was decided that such personnel would best be suited to the home defence role, thus releasing Regular Army and other manpower for other tasks. The establishment selected reflects the numbers that it was assessed, on the basis of the trial conducted in 1982, might be available. Enlistment to the Home Service Force is between the ages of 20 and 50, with a maximum retention age of 60.