§ Lord Brougham and Vauxasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have any plans to use members of the reserve forces in support of current operations.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Viscount Cranborne)My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence reported to Parliament by notice last month the call-out of a small number of willing officers of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve to support current operations. A further need for specialist support available only from the reserve forces has now become apparent, and a number of individuals from the Territorial Army's Intelligence and Security Group (Volunteers) have offered to serve on duties in the UK. My right honourable friend has made the Queen's Order required by Section 12(1) of the Reserve Forces Act,1980, and has formally called them out under Section 11(1) of the Act. A number of officers of the Royal Naval Reserve have also volunteered to serve, and they are being called up under the provisions of an Order in Council made in May 1982.