§ Mr. Stratton Millsasked the Minister of State for Defence if he will set out in HANSARD the pay and allowances of members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, and when they were last reviewed.
§ Mr. BlakerPart-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment receive Regular Army rates of pay for all periods of full-time duty and training. These rates are set out in Appendices I and II of the Second Report of the Review Body on Armed Forces Pay (Cmnd. 5336). These rates were effective from 1st April 1973. In addition tax-free bounties are payable in recognition of their training obligation and call-out liability ranging from £25 to £35 a year depending on service. These2W bounties were fixed at their present level in 1970. The rates of pay of the non-regular permanent staff of the Ulster Defence Regiment are set out in Appendix IV of Cmnd. 5336. These rates were effective from 1st April 1973.
§ Mr. Stratton Millsasked the Minister of State for Defence what plans he has to make up the pay of civilian members of the Ulster Defence Regiment who lose pay when they are on a call-out basis or at camp, particularly when their employers do not make up their pay.
§ Mr. BlakerI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 23rd May.—[Vol. 857, c.81.] If he has any particular examples in mind, perhaps he will write to me.
§ Mr. Stratton Millsasked the Minister of State for Defence what steps he intends to take to improve the pay and allowances of the Ulster Defence Regiment, which are now out of line with those of the Police Reserve and other part-time bodies.
§ Mr. BlakerThe emoluments of the Ulster Defence Regiment are reviewed whenever Regular Army pay is reviewed. There is no recognised pay link between the Ulster Defence Regiment and the Police Reserve.
§ Mr. Stratton Millsasked the Minister of State for Defence what plans he has for improving the public relations presentation of the role of the Ulster Defence Regiment, both to show that it is a first-class regiment and to help with morale.
§ Mr. BlakerThe Ulster Defence Regiment is regularly publicised by a variety of means as a highly efficient force. Emphasis is placed both on the operational roles it shares with Regular troops and its own special character as a part-time and non-sectarian force. These efforts will be maintained and where possible intensified in all appropriate fields of public relations including pamphlets and the regimental news-sheet, and Press, radio and television features.
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§ Mr. Stratton Millsasked the Minister of State for Defence if he will recommend that the Ulster Defence Regiment be given a Royal Cypher.
§ Mr. BlakerIt is open to any regiment or corps to apply for this distinction and every application is considered on its individual merits. As a general rule, the distinction is granted to a regiment or corps to mark an important national or royal occasion.