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Modern Apprenticeships
7. Mr. Bill Tynan (Hamilton, South) (Lab): How many modern apprenticeships are provided by the Department; and if he will make a statement. [150159]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Ivor Caplin): The Ministry of Defence trains its personnel for the operational and business requirement. However, as part of that training we are also committed to providing opportunities to obtain civilian qualifications, including modern apprenticeships. There are currently 13,789 modern apprenticeships in the armed forces, representing approximately 7 per cent. of those currently serving.
Mr. Tynan: I thank my hon. Friend for his response. The Department should be congratulated on the fact that many servicemen and women are benefiting from modern apprenticeships. However, does he accept that there is little opportunity at present for the training of apprentices in private industry, so would he consider using MoD facilities to give private industry the opportunity to benefit from those training services?
Mr. Caplin: We are already working with the private sector where possible, but we would certainly like to investigate further the opportunity to develop training links between the Ministry of Defence and the private sector.
Mr. David Watts (St. Helens, North) (Lab): I agree that many of our armed forces' facilities are the finest in the country, but there is an awful lot of spare capacity.
Is it not time that the Department carried out an audit to see what spare capacity there is and how we can expand training facilities in those areas?
Mr. Caplin: We are always looking at the defence training estate, and shall continue to do so. When any conclusions are reached, we shall of course tell the House.
Joint Strike Fighter
9. Mr. Michael Jack (Fylde) (Con): What steps his Department has taken to follow up the findings of the Rand Europe report on the joint strike fighter. [150161]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Mr. Adam Ingram): The Rand report is a useful contribution to the debate on what industrial infrastructure is required in the UK to support our procurement of the JSF. We are considering the way ahead closely in conjunction with industry and our US partners. We do not expect to be in a position to make announcements, however, before 2005.
Mr. Jack : I thank the Minister for his answer, but can he identify what progress, if any, he is making with the United States to ensure that it will participate fully in the technology transfer to make the discussions to which he has just referred meaningful? Can he update the House on what is happening in the consortium of four major British aerospace companies which, I understand, is currently working on proposals dealing with, if nothing else, the maintenance and repair aspects of the JSF operation? He will know that if we can win those contracts, tens of thousands of jobs, given updates on the project, could be available for UK aerospace workers.
Mr. Ingram: The right hon. Gentleman made a valid point in the second part of his question. Maintenance, repair and upgrade facilities are clearly an important feature of any major procurement process in the aerospace sector, and are something that we are keen to develop. Clearly, however, as he rightly pointed out, that has to be done in consultation with our US partners and other members of the consortium. As for access to technology, those talks are continuing. I am sure that he will understand the sensitivity of those talks from the US perspective, but our close relationship with the US as a key international partner stands us in very good stead for making progress on that front.
Territorial Army
10. Mr. Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield) (Con): What the current strength is of the Territorial Army. [150162]
12. Gregory Barker (Bexhill and Battle) (Con): What the current strength of the Territorial Army is; and what it was in January 1997. [150164]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Ivor Caplin): The strength of the Territorial Army on 1 December 2003, the most recent date for which we have figures, was 37,750, which
includes 3,920 mobilised reservists but excludes 390 TA officers currently serving in the full-time reserve service. I regret that I am unable to provide comparable figures for 1 January 1997, but I can for 1 July that year. The strength of the TA on that date was 55,760, which includes 620 mobilised reservists. There were no TA officers on full-time reserve service on that date.
Mr. Mitchell : I thank the Minister for his response, which shows how significantly the manpower strength of the Territorial Army has declined since 1997. Given that the strategic defence review in 1998 spoke of a manpower target of 45,000, and given the increased versatility required of our Territorial Army forces following events that have taken place in the meantime, can he tell us how long it will be before that shortfall of 7,000 is made up?
Mr. Caplin: I know that the hon. Gentleman served with the Royal Tank Regiment, and has considerable knowledge of these affairs. We are, of course, busy recruiting to the TA as often as possible. Recruitment is a constant process throughout the year, and the hon. Gentleman will know that it is conducted geographically by local TA centres. I am confident that in following the strategy set out in the strategic defence review we are going in the right direction.
Gregory Barker: Does the Minister recognise, in the light of the campaign in Iraq last year, that the Government will continue to undermine morale and retention in Territorial Army units unless they ensure that when the TA is deployed on active service its units are not cannibalised as a matter of course and, crucially, that both officers and NCOs are given credible operational roles, preferably with their own soldiers?
Mr. Caplin: First, I congratulate the hon. Gentleman, who has also served with the TA, on completing the armed forces parliamentary scheme. The TA continuous attitude survey is due to report shortly, and it will provide an opportunity to examine issues raised by him and those raised by the various lessons learned documents from Operation Telic and Operation Fresco.
Mr. Tony McWalter (Hemel Hempstead) (Lab/Co-op): As my hon. Friend has indicated that he is looking for TA recruits, will he do something about the areas of the country from which TA units were removed in the earlier review? In particular, the matter caused grave concern in my constituency because the nearest unit is in Hertford, which is an impossible distance away, so young people in my area are not being given the chance to join the TA.
Mr. Caplin: I was going to offer my hon. Friend the chance to volunteer and participate in TA activity, which is something I am sure he has done. Ensuring that the TA has the right footprint is an important part of our work, and we will continue to examine the estate on every possible occasion.
Mr. Keith Simpson (Mid-Norfolk) (Con): I am sure that the whole House appreciates the dedication, professionalism and bravery that the TA has shown and continues to show in operations in Iraq. The
Government's defence White Paper states that the TA has become an integral part of the regular armed forces and that it will be increasingly used in future operations. My hon. Friend the Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne) and others who have served in the TA have highlighted a recent survey of TA personnel who have been sent to the Gulf, which found that 80 per cent. of them do not expect their employer to support any future deployment, that 63 per cent. of medical and technical staff are thinking of resigning from the TA and that 73 per cent. of them think that the NHS has lost vital skills because of the deployment. The problem will obviously increase given the Government's defence White Paper. What practical measures are Ministers taking to the square the circle between the desire to use the TA more and employers' increasing reluctance to release staff?
Mr. Caplin: I agree with the hon. Gentleman that our reserves have served with distinction in Iraq, at home, and in other areas of the world such as the Balkans in the past 12 months and before that. I am not sure whether he really wants me to discuss Army medical services, because if I do I will delve into events during the 1992 to 1997 Parliament, which may embarrass Conservative Front Benchers. We are heavily engaged with employers through SaBRE, the supporting Britain's reservists and employers campaign, with which he is familiar. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I continue to discuss the matter with national employers such as the NHS, regional employers, with whom we engage through the reserve forces and cadets associations, and other small and medium-sized businesses.
Army Welfare Services
11. Mr. Robert Key (Salisbury) (Con): If he will make a statement on the future of Army welfare services. [150163]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Ivor Caplin): The Army welfare service provides invaluable support to the Army and will continue to do so. We have recently expanded its remit so that it is in position to provide much needed assistance to Army veterans.
I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the excellent work that the Army welfare service has done—and continues to do—in assisting our soldiers and their families, both regular and reserve, particularly during recent operations both at home and abroad.
Mr. Key: I warmly endorse what the Minister says, and the expansion in Army welfare services in south Wiltshire has been particularly effective. Will he do all he can to ensure that the Commander-in-Chief, Land Command is never put in the position of having to cut Army welfare services as a soft target because of budgetary constraints, bearing in mind the fact that the pressure on Army families is growing remorselessly due to overstretch and the shortened interval between tours?
Mr. Caplin: I know that the hon. Gentleman takes considerable interest in these affairs, especially in his constituency, which I have visited twice during my first
six months in post. The Army welfare service provides an invaluable service, but, as he knows, the Commander-in-Chief, Land Command has a devolved budget and those decisions must be down to him. I can tell the House that there will be a review, and I hope that when it is complete I will be able to say more.
Mr. George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab/Co-op): Will the Minister consider paying a visit to the excellent centre run by Combat Stress at Hollybush in my constituency? Tremendous work is being done there for people suffering from mental problems caused by various conflicts in Hollybush—that is a problem as well—or, rather, in the Falklands and Northern Ireland as well as Iraq. Does he agree that while the remarks of the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) were meant in the kindest possible way, it is far, far too early, if there is any justice in this world, for any member of our excellent Front-Bench team to be considering making valedictory remarks?
Mr. Caplin: First, may I say to my right hon. Friend that he will certainly be missed when he eventually leaves the House? He has been absolutely 100 per cent. behind the United Kingdom's armed forces on every possible occasion. He is right to point out the importance of the work being done by the charity Combat Stress, which I have met on a number of occasions. I am looking forward to taking the opportunity when I am next in Scotland to visit Combat Stress in his constituency.
Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD): The Minister rightly draws attention to and praises Army welfare services for the excellent work that they have done, particularly last year during the Iraq conflict. Does he agree that the work they do week in, week out plays an important part in the retention of soldiers and that there needs to be more involvement on the education side so that soldiers with children at school get a better deal?
Mr. Caplin: I had a feeling that the hon. Gentleman would get to his favourite subject—schooling, particularly in the Colchester area. However, he forgot to mention Colchester—a rare moment in the House. As he knows, we are putting more money into service children's education and we will continue to do so. As he also knows, I am looking forward to visiting Colchester garrison in March.
Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich) (Lab): Is my hon. Friend satisfied that the review will consider the provision of psychiatric support services for those who have served in various wars? This is a real problem for young soldiers and there has not been sufficient support in the past, which is a price that we cannot afford to pay as a community.
Mr. Caplin: I thank my hon. Friend for that important contribution. She is right—I am not sure that this matter has been properly dealt with in the past. As she will be aware, however, we are engaged with the Priory group to provide psychiatric services and we very much hope that that will put an end to some of those problems.
Sir Patrick Cormack (South Staffordshire) (Con): What practical help are the Army welfare services giving to the families of those Territorials who served in Iraq, causing great financial hardship to themselves and their families?
Mr. Caplin: The hon. Gentleman will be familiar with the Reserve Forces Act 1996, which covers the call-out of members of the Territorial Army and other reserve forces. Clearly, if there are any such problems, in particular, for his constituents, and he would like to let me know about them, I will take those cases up.
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