§ Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will arrange for all staff officers at Headquarters Ulster Defence Regiment to serve for a period with a UDR battalion and to gain experience of both border and urban duties.
§ Mr. Robert C. BrownThe staff officers at Headquarters, Ulster Defence Regiment, are Regular Army and all but one have completed previous tours in Northern Ireland with their parent regiments and have experience of border and/or urban duties. We have no plans, nor do we consider there is any particular need, for these officers to serve for a period with a UDR battalion but, as I advised the hon. Member on 10th May, Commander UDR and his staff maintain very close co-operation with the UDR battalions and spend as much time as possible visiting battalion headquarters and units throughout the Province.
§ Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is aware that at least one UDR battalion commander is paid less than his training major; and what is being done to change the situation whereby different pay scales apply to a number of those doing equivalent duties.
§ Mr. Robert C. BrownYes. This UDR battalion commander is a member of the non-Regular permanent Staff of the Ulster Defence Regiment. His training major is a Regular Army officer. The respective rates of pay for non-Regular permanent officers of the UDR and Regular Army officers reflect their different terms and conditions of service. Those of the non-Regular permanent staff are currently under review.