Territorial Army

HC Deb 28 June 1999 vol 334 cc2-4W

Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the TA units due to be disbanded within the next six months; [88378]

(2) if he will list the TA units which have been disbanded since 28 November 1998. [88365]

Mr. Doug Henderson

In accordance with the announcement on the restructuring of the Territorial Army made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 17 November 1998,Official Report, columns 749-71, the following battalion and company units are due to disband by 1 July 1999: Royal Armoured Corps

• Scottish Yeomanry—elements are to transfer to the Queen's Own Yeomanry
• Kings Own Yorkshire Yeomanry (Light Infantry)—the elements are to re-role
• Royal Armoured Corps Pool of Officers

Royal Regiment of Artillery

• 201 (St. Albans) and 202 (Swaffham) Batteries 100 Regiment Royal Artillery
• 289 Commando (Poole) Battery Royal Artillery

Royal Engineers

• 72 Regiment Royal Engineers
• 106 (Dewsbury), 350 (Chilwell) and 575 (Buxton) Field Squadrons 73 Engineer Regiment Royal Engineers
• 74 Independent Field Squadron
• 125 (Stafford) and 202 Field Squadrons 75 Engineer Regiment Royal Engineers
• 76 (less HQ and Workshop) and 78 (less Tunbridge Wells) Engineer
• Regiments Royal Engineers
• 77 Engineer Regiment Royal Engineers
• 220 Field Squadron, 101 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal)
• 198 Field Park Squadron Royal Engineers
• Military Works Force-will be reduced

Infantry¹

• Lowland Volunteers
• 3^rdBattalion Royal Highland Fusiliers
• 3^rdBattalion The Black Watch
• 3^rdBattalion The Highlanders
• 7^th/8^thBattalion The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
• 5^thBattalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
• 6^th/7^thBattalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
• The London Regiment
• 5^thBattalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
• 6^thBattalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
• 6^thBattalion Royal Anglian Regiment
• 7^thBattalion Royal Anglian Regiment
• 4^thBattalion The Kings Own Royal Border Regiment
• 5^th/8^thKings Regiment
• 3^rdBattalion The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment
• 4^th/5^thGreen Howards
• 4^thBattalion The Queen's Lancashire Regiment
• 3^rdBattalion The Duke of Wellington's Regiment
• 4^thBattalion Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
• 3^rdBattalion The Cheshire Regiment
• 3^rdBattalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers
• 2^ndBattalion The Royal Regiment of Wales
• 2^ndRoyal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment
• 3^rdBattalion the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment
• The Staffordshire Regiment
• 5^thBattalion The Light Infantry
• 6^th Battalion The Light Infantry
• 7^thBattalion The Light Infantry
• 4^thBattalion Royal Green Jackets
• 5^thBattalion Royal Green Jackets
• 4^th/5^th Battalion The Royal Irish Rangers
• 4^thBattalion The Parachute Regiment
• 10^thBattalion The Parachute Regiment

Royal Logistic Corps

• 562 Transport Squadron, 151 Transport Regiment Royal Logistic Corps
• 67 Stores Squadron Royal Logistic Corps
• 166 Logistic Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps
• 143 Stores Squadron Royal Logistic Corps
• 209 Printing Troop
• 241 General Support Squadron Royal Logistic Corps
• 280 and 281 Movement Control Squadrons Royal Logistic Corps
• 65 Petroleum Squadron Royal Logistic Corps
• 68 Vehicle Squadron Royal Logistic Corps
• HQ 86 Postal and Courier Regiment Royal Logistic Corps
• Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron Royal Logistic Corps

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

• 202 Port and Reclamation Company 105 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
• 207 Workshop Company 105 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
• HQ Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Pool of Officers
• TA Specialist Increment REME

Adjutant General's Corps (Royal Military Police)

• 152, 163, 164, 165, 251 and 254 Provost Companies Royal Military Police

Bands

• Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Band
• South Nottinghamshire Hussars (Yeomanry) Royal Horse
• Artillery Band
• Royal Signals Band
• Royal Highland Fusiliers (Territorial) Band
• Warwickshire Band Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
• Yorkshire (Volunteers) Band
• Berkshire and Hampshire Band
• Light Infantry Burma Band
• Army Medical Services (Territorial Army) Band

No further units other than those affected by SDR and listed above are due to disband between 1 July and 31 December 1999.

¹15 new Infantry Battalions with a total of 64 companies will be formed as opposed to the current 33 battalions. Capbadge affiliations will remain at Company level.

Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many TA soldiers have left the service since November 1998(a) voluntarily and (b) compulsorily. [88364]

Mr. Doug Henderson

In the period of 1 November 1998 to 30 April 1999, 7,980 soldiers left the Territorial Army and 3,690 joined. Of those leaving, 7,271 left on completion of their engagement, 194 left voluntarily before their term of engagement was complete and 515 were compulsorily discharged for reasons including failure to complete training, misconduct, inefficiency or poor health.