Integrated Review: Defence Command Paper

Derek Twigg Excerpts

Monday 22nd March 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Wallace]

All service leavers will get full support on the resettlement journey, but there will be no redundancies of service personnel related to these reductions.

[Derek Twigg (Halton) (Lab) [V]]

The Secretary of State knows that the Defence Committee has been briefed on the emerging threats and the change in technology on the battlefield over the past year or two. He seems to be arguing that, in order to modernise the armed forces, it is okay to reduce their numbers. I would argue that we can have an increase in our armed forces, the new technology and the modernisation that he has talked about. May I ask him a specific question? Our special forces, as we know, are world class. In the reduced Army, how will he maintain the calibre and quality of recruits to the special forces?