Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Oral Answers to Questions

Alan Brown Excerpts
Monday 11th June 2018

(6 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Gavin Williamson Portrait Gavin Williamson
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The House has a great duty towards all those who serve our country: not just our armed forces, but those who supported our country in Afghanistan and in so many other areas. I am certainly very keen to look at all options to see how best we can protect service personnel who have given so much in the service of our country.

Alan Brown Portrait Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)
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T3. Army numbers are at just over 77,000, rather than the 82,000 promised in the 2015 Tory manifesto. Is this due to Tory incompetence, Capita incompetence or a combination of both?

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton Portrait The Minister for the Armed Forces (Mark Lancaster)
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It is an interesting fact that since the second world war I think there have been only two years when the Army has been fully manned. There are challenges, but I am confident that we maintain all our operational commitments. The Army is currently approximately 95% manned, which I think is pretty good, but I am determined to get it up to 100%.