§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on rationalising the training of Army apprentices.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonCommand Paper 1595 referred to proposals to restructure the Army's training organisation and I announced (in the House on 10 March this year) that from September 1992 we shall introduce a one year standard foundation course at each of the existing Army apprentice colleges in place of the current two-year course.
We now propose that all apprentices should undertake a common one-year foundation course at a single Army technical college, with one wing at Arborfield for the technical corps and another at Aldershot for the Army Catering Corps and Adjutant General's Corps.
I have already announced the proposal to concentrate the training of junior leaders at Harrogate. No final decision has been taken on possible future uses for the remaining college at Chepstow (although it is one of several locations being considered for use by the field Army).
It is too early to say what the detailed implications will be for the staff of the establishments affected. Full consultation with the trades unions will take place in the normal way before final decisions are taken.