§ Mr. SoamesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the 1st Battalion of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment will be replaced as a spearhead battalion in Kosovo; and by which units. [176361]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 27 May 2004]: The 1st Battalion the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment withdrew from Kosovo as planned on 17 April 2004. They continue to be on standby as the Ready Battalion of the NATO Operational Reserve Force (ORF) for the Balkans until 30 June. After this date, the US will take over the Ready Battalion role, with the 2nd Battalion the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment then forming one of three ORF standby battalions on lower readiness to deploy to the Balkans.