2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

David Hamilton Excerpts
Thursday 18th October 2012

(12 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Beamish Portrait Mr Jones
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The hon. Gentleman will remember that the decisions to make those changes were made by the Army during its restructuring. They were not made for political reasons; such decisions have been made for many reasons over many decades.

David Hamilton Portrait Mr David Hamilton (Midlothian) (Lab)
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I must ask my hon. Friend not to fall into the trap that so many others have fallen into—namely, of setting one against another. We should all be arguing that a major mistake is being made, and that we cannot allow that to happen. If the regiment’s numbers fall below a critical mass, it will not be able to recruit when it needs to.

Lord Beamish Portrait Mr Jones
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Indeed, and the decision was budget-led, rather than being made in the best interests of the Army.