John Baron MP: Letter to Defence Secretary highlights growing Army Reserve concerns

John Baron MP: Letter to Defence Secretary highlights growing Army Reserve concerns

Prove Reserve plans work before axing Regulars, say 25 Tory back bench MPs

Last week John Baron MP and 25 other Conservative back benchers sent a letter to the Secretary of State for Defence, Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP. The letter raises concerns surrounding the MoD’s proposals to reduce the Regular Army by 20,000 soldiers before recruiting up to 30,000 Reservists to fill their place. The letter also cites evidence questioning whether the expected savings these proposals are intended to produce will be on the scale envisioned by the Government.

John said,

“There is growing concern about the unanswered questions over the extent of cost savings and the resulting capability gap. Reports of the MoD’s failure to meet its Reserve recruitment targets add urgency. Surely the axing of our regular battalions should now be stopped at least until we know the Government’s Reserve plans will work.”

“We need answers. We know that it costs more to train reservists than regulars, that an ex-regular reservist will be on a better scale of take-home pay than a serving Brigadier, and that the present TA mobilisation rate of 40% suggests we need 50,000 reservists to plug the gap left by 20,000 regulars. But the Government has not made its case as to the extent of cost savings.”

“Furthermore, the wider cost of the capability gap created through the loss of 20,000 experienced troops must be properly assessed. The nature of conflict is changing. War fought essentially in binary terms is now giving way to more fluid geopolitical forces – both state and non-state. Our forces will need to be even more professional and flexible.”

“The Government’s plan is clearly borne of financial necessity and not strategic design. It is high-risk in this increasingly uncertain world. We simply can not risk trying to get our defence on the cheap. It comes down to financial priorities – funding white elephants such as HS2 or ensuring the defence of the realm.”

Ends

Word Count: 335

Date: 16^th September 2013

Notes to Editors

• Yesterday’s Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/10309847/John-Baron-defence-cuts-army-regulars-reserve.html) carried a piece as to why John believes the cuts are flawed.
• The signatories will remain confidential unless they themselves wish it otherwise.