§ Lord Williams of Elvelasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in line with the recent renaming of Scottish regiments, they will consider renaming Welsh infantry regiments as follows: The Royal Welch Fusiliers (1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh Regiment), The Royal Regiment of Wales (2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh) and the Royal Welch Regiment (3rd Battalion, The Royal Welsh). [HL713]
§ Lord BachLast year, the Army considered how best to implement the move to larger regiments and the reduction of four infantry battalions. In considering this issue the Executive Committee of the Army Board took into account advice from the colonel commandant of the Prince of Wales Division, in which the Welsh regiments sit, as a representative of the regiments concerned.
The outcome of these deliberations, announced on 16 December by the Secretary of State for Defence, is that a new large infantry regiment will be formed to represent Wales. The Royal Welch Fusiliers and the Royal Regiment of Wales will combine to form what will be known as The Royal Welsh Regiment, as recommended by the division. They will be known respectively as 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh (The Royal Welch Fusiliers) and 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh (The Royal Regiment of Wales).
§ Baroness Finlay of Llandaffasked Her Majesty's Government:
What effect the merger of the Welsh regiments is expected to have on morale; and what is being done to ensure that their sense of cohesiveness and identity is not lost. [HL761]
§ Lord BachThe new regimental structure is not expected to have an adverse effect on morale. It will create greater stability for families as well as enhanced professional opportunities for soldiers. Traditional recruiting areas will be maintained and we have made clear our commitment to maintaining the identity, traditions and ethos of the individual battalions within the new regiments.
13WA
§ Baroness Finlay of Llandaffasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why they decided not to allow the Welsh regiments to maintain their individual identities while becoming the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Royal Welsh. [HL762]
§ Lord BachThe new titles explicitly identify the new battalions with their antecedent regiments by retaining their original titles in brackets after the new regimental title.