§ Mr. Sproatasked the Minister of State for Defence (1) what steps he has taken in the last 12 months to point out to organisations the advantage to them of having their employees join the Territorial and Army Voluntary Reserve;
(2) if he will list the organisations to which an official letter has been sent during the last 12 months asking them to encourage their employees to join the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve;
(3) If we will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the text of the letter he last sent 300W to organisations asking them to encourage their employees to join the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve.
§ Mr. BlakerIn February 1971 my right hon. and Noble Friend sent a message of this nature to employers. About 60,000 copies were distributed through the Confederation of British Industry, the Small Businesses Association and the Territorial, Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve Associations. The text was
I am writing to underline the importance which the Government attach to the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve—and to ask you to encourage your younger employees to join.Because of the replacement of the Territorial Army and the Army Emergency Reserve by the T and AVR in 1967, and the further reduction in 1968-69, some people are under the impression that the Army no longer has a volunteer reserve of citizen soldiers. This is not the case at all. The T and AVR has at present a strength of nearly 50,000 men. It provides well-equipped and well-trained units ready at short notice to take their place alongside units of the Regular Army should the need arise.The present units are very largely earmarked for specific tasks in support of NATO, but the Government consider it important that our national reserves should include a number of uncommitted units to meet unexpected tasks. They also believe that there are many people who would be willing to undertake this important form of voluntary service. They have therefore decided to increase the establishment of the T and AVR by some 10,000 men by tapping additional recruiting areas as well as expanding in some existing ones. If your company is a large employer it might be possible for it to form a works platoon, for example, of a new unit. This is a matter you might wish to consider in conjunction with your local T and AVR Association.The T and AVR needs not only to be well recruited but also to be well trained for its important part in or national security arrangements. A key element in this training is the fortnight's annual camp. I want therefore to ask you both to encourage people to join the T and AVR and to make it as easy as possible for them to attend camp, wherever possible in addition to having some holiday with their families. I know that this may create difficulties for you, but I am confident that you will make every effort to help, bearing in mind not only the national defence interest but also the fact that training in the T and AVR develops qualities of leadership, initiative, responsibility and discipline which are as valuable in civilian as in military life.
§ Mr. Sproatasked the Minister of State for Defence if he will list the occupations, members of which, otherwise eligible, are not allowed to join the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve without special permission.
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§ Mr. BlakerGovernment employees and policemen need the consent of their heads of department or chief constable, respectively. In addition, there are arrangements with the Department of Employment to control the enrolment of persons with special skills and experience, but the effect of this on T and AVR recruitment is minimal.
§ Mr. Sproatasked the Minister of State for Defence how many persons who have held short-service commissions in the Regular Army in the last five years are currently serving as officers in the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve; and what proportion this is of territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve officers.
§ Mr. BlakerThe detailed information requested is not readily available and it would require a disproportionate effort to obtain it. However, short service officers leaving the Regular Army are encouraged to join the T and AVR, and arrangements to collect the information in respect of those newly joining the T and AVR are being introduced with effect from 1st January 1973.