§ 33. Mr. SpellerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress made and current plans for the improvement and increase in size of the infantry units within the Territorial Army.
§ Mr. FreemanPhase II of the Territorial Army expansion programme set out in "Defence Open Government Document 84/02" began formally in April 1986. The majority of planned new infantry units and sub-units have been formed and are recruiting.
§ 76. Mr. ConwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the manpower contribution to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation of the British Territorial Army; and what percentage of the defence estimates expenditure on the British Territorial Army this represents.
§ Mr. FreemanOn current plans some 55,000 Territorial Army soldiers would be assigned to NATO tasks in the event of war. The balance would he deployed on defence tasks in the United Kingdom, which also form a contribution to NATO's military strategy. The cost of NATO-assigned forces represents approximately 65 per cent. of defence estimates expenditure on the Territorial Army.