§ Mr. FrancoisTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to reduce the size of the(a) regular and (b) Territorial Army beyond the levels envisaged in the Strategic Defence Review. [6990]
§ Mr. IngramDecisions were taken in the Strategic Defence Review about the size and structure of the Army, which included the creation of a sixth deployable brigade and a second line of communication. It is intended to man the Army to achieve this, and it will require an increase in its strength from current levels. The extent of the increase will depend in part on the outcome of on-going studies into the best ways of delivering the military capability required of the Army.
There are no plans to reduce the Territorial Army below the size announced in November 1998.