§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Defence what decision has been taken (a) as to the future rôle of the personnel of 44 Territorial Parachute Brigade HQ, (b) as to the extent to which Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve units of the Royal Artillery, the Royal Engineers, the Royal Signals, the Royal Corps of Transport, the Royal Army Medical Corps, the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and the Royal Military Police are to continue to receive parachute training and (c) as to the future operational rôle of the three Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve parachute battalions.
§ Mr. Robert C. Brown(a) 44 Parachute Brigade (Volunteers) HQ will disband in April 1978. Arrangements have been made to permit the transfer of those individuals who wish to continue TAVR parachute service to one of the TAVR battalions of the Parachute Regiment.
(b) There are no plans for TAVR units of supporting arms and services to receive parachute training in future. The 110W requirement for parachute training of certain elements of some specific TAVR units is currently under consideration.
(c) It is not the practice to disclose details of the rôle of individual units. All three TAVR battalions of the Parachute Regiment, however, will remain earmarked for NATO.