Peter
Viggers, MP for the Gosport constituency, today questioned
Defence Minister Don Touhig about the Government’s
commitment to reserve forces in Britain.
Mr Viggers was instrumental in developing Conservative policy
on reserve forces, the central recommendation of which is
that the Territorial Army should be restored to previous
levels.
He asked whether the Government was confident that it would
never again be necessary to increase the levels of manpower
in the armed forces, given that reserve forces have two key
roles and at present levels are straining to meet the demands
placed upon them.
Peter said, “The
first key role is to provide reinforcement for the regular
forces. Reserve forces have been stressed
by overuse and there is a real concern that recruitment and
retention will suffer as a result. The second vital role
depends on the Territorial Army and reserves generally having
formed units under the command of reserve officers and these
are needed to provide the framework for expansion in times
of emergency. This second role is being threatened by weakness
of numbers and lack of formed units, and I asked whether
the Government was confident that it would never again be
necessary to increase armed forces.
“Unfortunately,
the Minister was unable to give a satisfactory reply.” |
