ARMY TRAINING (Hansard, 16 December 1992)

Viscount Cranborne

Plans for the rationalisation of the Army training organisation were outlined in Cmnd. 1595. My right honourable friend the Minister for the Armed Forces announced in another place on 10th March (H.C.Deb.WA Col. 500) our proposals to improve basic training for adults and young soldiers, juniors and apprentices at a reduced number of larger, more efficient establishments. Consultation with the trade unions is now complete and I can confirm that all adult and young soldier training will be undertaken in five new army training regiments to be formed at Glencorse, Lichfield, Bassingbourn, Pirbright and Winchester.

To enable these changes, specialist infantry training will move to interim locations at Ouston, Strensall and Catterick. It is also our intention that Royal Signals training should in due course be concentrated at Blandford and this will permit specialist infantry training to be concentrated at Catterick in the long term. As a result of the reorganisation of infantry training, we shall not now need to use Crickhowell for this purpose in the interim but it will continue to provide training facilities for the TA as at present. Infantry training at Brecon will also be increased, with the formation of a new tactics and skill at arms wing. This will result in an increase of one third in student numbers; some additional civilian staff will also be required. This will require substantial new investment on student accommodation over the next few years.

Having examined further a pilot scheme for the training of juniors, we have concluded that in the light of the introduction of the single school-leaving point in 1995, the junior entry no longer justifies the very substantial investment involved. The Army must, however, retain access to the school-leaver market and we therefore now propose to introduce a single entry for the Army, subsuming all those who would previously have been recruited as juniors, young 44WA soldiers and adults. They will undertake their basic training at one of the five Army training regiments. As a result, the establishments at Bramcote and Harrogate need not now be converted to Army junior leader regiments. We will be examining the potential for alternative defence uses for these establishments although none has yet been found. It is not therefore possible to say what might be the detailed implications for civilian staff. There will be smaller changes at Winchester, although that establishment will continue with its main role as an Army training regiment.

The introduction of the single school-leaving point also has implications for the concept of a single Army technical college. We now propose that apprentices will undertake their military leadership and technical training at their respective arm and service centres. It will, therefore, not now be necessary to establish the Army technical college at Arborfield and Aldershot but REME and Army Catering Corps apprentices will continue to be trained at these sites. I am pleased to say that since the announcement of the end of apprentice training at Chepstow further study has identified the barracks there as a suitable location for an infantry battalion returning to United Kingdom. With some 650 men, up to half of whom will have families, the positive economic impact will be considerable. The necessary building work will begin on the cessation of apprentice training in 1994, allowing occupation in 1996.

Full consultation with the trade unions on the above proposals will take place in the normal way before final decisions are taken.

We have also laid down the principles for further restructuring the training organisation and improving special to arm and service and career training. Where possible, such training will be concentrated in single centres, with any further training done at the minimum number of wings. We shall also examine the content of specialist and career training to identify the potential for market testing and contractorisation, areas of commonality and the scope for savings between arms and services, as well as between the Army and the other services. Until detailed plans are brought forward it will not be possible to say what will be the precise implications for either civilian staff or training establishments. We shall invite the trade unions to contribute to specific areas of study and shall, of course, undertake formal consultation in the normal way when appropriate.