Peter
Viggers, MP for the Gosport constituency, has been appointed
to the House of Commons’ Defence Committee.
He will be the senior opposition member on the Committee.
Peter’s
military background makes him well suited to the role.
He was a fast jet pilot with the RAF before
transferring to the Territorial Army where he commanded the
firing troop of the 457 Royal Artillery in Gosport. In this
capacity he was also the first territorial to fire a Thunderbird
1 guided missile and shoot down a Royal Air Force Meteor
(pilotless) aircraft.
Mr Viggers is a former Minister who has twice chaired discussions
on the Armed Forces Bill, the five-yearly review of discipline
and conditions of service in the Armed Forces. He is currently
also Chairman of the Political Committee of the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly.
Peter said today, “I’m delighted to be appointed
to the Defence Committee, which supervises and monitors vitally
important defence issues. It’s entirely appropriate
that our first session this week will cross-examine senior
service personnel about Defence Medical Services and reserve
forces in the Iraq conflict”.
Peter replaces Portsmouth North MP, Syd Rapson, on the Committee. |
