§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his assessment of changes in general service morale over the last three years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HanleyThere is no evidence of any significant change in service morale over the past three years. This has been a period of considerable uncertainty for service personnel, but they continue to carry out their duties in a thoroughly professional manner. We aim to relieve uncertainty by making early announcements, whenever possible, of decisions concerning their future.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his assessment of the current state of morale amongst the chiefs of staff; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HanleyThe chiefs of staff accept the need for changes in the size and shape of our armed forces, and the reasons behind those changes. They recognise the considerable challenges posed by the changes and have a number of understandable concerns about the magnitude of the task and the uncertainties for their services. They are nevertheless fully committed to the Government's objective of preserving front-line capability through improvements to the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of its support.