Reorganisation of the Territorial and Auxiliary
Volunteer Reserve Associations
37. Whereas the MoD's announcement gave details on
the restructuring of the TA, it did not provide the same level
of detail on the future structure of the TAVRAs. In supporting
documents the MoD stated that—
The TAVRAs will continue in their role as an essential
component of the structure for supporting Reserve Forces and Cadets.
They will be consulted further on how to take forward the conclusions
of the Strategic Defence Review on their numbers and relationship
with the Army's regional command structure.[122]
38. In evidence the TAVRAs told us that this consultation
would take the form of a working group which will be set up to
look at the future of the Associations. The working group will
report to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence,
and it is hoped that it will be able to present its conclusions
by 1st April.[123]
As to who would chair the working group, the Minister of State
for the Armed Forces declared a preference for a joint chair,
with TAVRA interests and land command interests represented.[124]
The composition of the working group had yet to be finalised but
the Minister told us that it would probably include the Command
Secretary of Land Command and representatives of Land Command,
the Vice Chairman of the TAVRAs and TAVRA representatives, and
representatives of other military interests .[125]
The TAVRAs warmly welcomed this initiative. Colonel Putnam said—
... we thought that was a very significant advance
of a situation we found ourselves in before the TAVRAC (Territorial
and Auxiliary Volunteer Reserve Advisory Council)[126]
meeting yesterday and I have to say we are quite pleased at the
outcome. Hopefully it will produce the answers that we need and
certainly it will give us a chance to sort out and explain again
the benefits of what we do, the structure that we need.[127]
122 Modern Forces for a Modern World: A Territorial
Army for the Future, Volume 1, para 19 Back
123
Q 71 Back
124
Q 206 Back
125
Q 205 Back
126
The TAVRAC is a formal meeting between the TAVRAs and the MoD.
It meets twice a year and is chaired by a Minister. Back
127
Q 71 Back
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