§ 26. Mr. John MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the number of troops in Northern Ireland. [20101]
§ Mr. FreemanThere are currently some 17,500 armed forces personnel in Northern Ireland. In addition, the units which have recently been relocated from Northern Ireland remain available to the general officer commanding and can return at short notice if required. Force levels are kept under review to ensure that they remain appropriate to the security situation.