HC Deb 18 November 1998 vol 319 cc632-3W
Mr. Nigel Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will postpone his plans to cut the TA until 2000. [60263]

Mr. Doug Henderson

We announced our plans for the future of the Territorial Army in the House on 17 November 1998,Official Report, columns 749-52.

Sir Brian Mawhinney

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will defer consideration of any reduction in the Territorial Army until January 2000 or until all millennium bug problems have been eradicated. [59619]

Mr. Doug Henderson

[holding answer 16 November 1998]: There is no identified requirement for military assistance, including use of the Reserves, in the event of any problems arising on the millennium, that justified deferring the announcement in the House of the necessary modernisation of the Territorial Army on 17 November 1998, Official Report, columns 749–52.

Sir Brian Mawhinney

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the organisations and people consulted prior to the development of contingency plans for the deployment of the Territorial Army in Cambridgeshire in the event of civil disturbance arising from the millennium bug; [59617]

(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the contingency plans for the deployment of the Territorial Army in Cambridgeshire in the event of civil disturbance arising from the millennium bug. [59618]

Mr. Doug Henderson

[holding answer 16 November 1998]: No contingency plans have been drawn up for the deployment of the Territorial Army in Cambridgeshire in the event of civil disturbances arising from the millennium bug. But long-standing arrangements exist under which military assistance can be requested by the civil authorities in the United Kingdom in the event of a civil emergency.

Mr. Nigel Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the role of the TA in dealing with the effects of the millennium bug. [60264]

Mr. Doug Henderson

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence to the hon. Member for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (Mr. Morgan) on 10 November 1998,Official Report, column 171.