§ Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement about(a) the future strength of the Royal Anglian Regiment and (b) its composition of permanent battalions; [118717]
(2) if he will list those counties which are deemed to be the recruiting area for the Royal Anglian Regiment; [118714]
(3) if he will list the county regiments which were merged to form the Royal Anglian Regiment; [118716]
(4) whether he plans to disband the Second Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment as a permanent full-strength battalion. [118713]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 12 June 2003]The following county regiments were merged to form the Royal Anglian Regiments in 1964: The Royal Norfolk Regiment; The Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Regiment; The Essex Regiment; The Royal Lincolnshire Regiment; The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment; The Royal Leicestershire Regiment; and The Northamptonshire Regiment.
These counties also form the natural recruiting area for the Royal Anglian Regiment, with the addition of the County of Rutland, though we place no geographic limitations on the area from which eligible recruits can come.
There are no current plans to disband or alter the composition of the Royal Anglian Regiment.