§ Patrick MercerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the independent training review programme; and what actions he intends to take on the decisions of the programme. [87974]
§ Dr. MoonieI assume the hon. Member is referring to the outcome of the Defence Training Review (DTR), which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 27 March 2001,official Report, column 545W. Work is now complete on over a third of the DTR recommendations. Key achievements have included the formation of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom on 1 April 2002 and, more recently, the establishment of the Director General Training and Education organisation to provide the central policy focus for defence individual training and education. The programme to rationalise a number of specialist training streams, about which my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces last updated the House on 25 November 2002, official Report, column 2WS, is also proceeding as planned. Implementation of the remaining DTR recommendations is continuing.