HC Deb 12 November 1976 vol 919 cc277-8W
Mr. Crawshaw

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the reorganisation of the TAVR.

Mr. Robert C. Brown

As a consequence of the restructuring of the Regular Army a detailed examination has been carried out into the mobilisation rôles of all units of the TAVR. As was stated by my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State on 23rd February 1976—[Vol. 906,33–4]—although there are no far-reaching changes, the study has emphasised the closer integration of the Regular Army and the TAVR foreseen in last year's Statement on the Defence Estimates (Cmnd. 5976) (Chapter I, Paragraphs 47–51).

TAVR infantry battalions have been assigned to each of the new field forces being established in the United Kingdom and three more battalions have been assigned to NATO.

Although the 44th Parachute Brigade will disband on 1st April 1978 the three TAVR parachute battalions will continue in the order of battle and will retain a parachute capability. The supporting units of the brigade will be allocated new rôles within the restructured TAVR.

Studies have yet to be completed on the rôle of units of the Medical Services the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers, and an announcement will be made in due course.