§ Mr. EdwardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the role of the Territorial Army in civil defence since 11 September. [17874]
§ Dr. MoonieAs part of the work announced in March 2001, under the Strategy for the Army (a version of which was placed in the Library) we were already looking at ways of increasing the contribution the Territorial Army makes to our Defence Plans. Following the attacks on 11 September, work is being undertaken to ensure that we have the right capabilities in place to deal with international terrorism. The range of options being considered includes the role of the TA in providing assistance to the civil community in an emergency.