Future Reserves 2020 Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Future Reserves 2020

Julian Brazier Excerpts
Thursday 8th November 2012

(12 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Julian Brazier Portrait Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury) (Con)
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Mr Speaker, may I thank you for the contribution that you are making by giving a party for employers in a fortnight’s time?

I congratulate my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on his really excellent and thoroughly thought through statement. I should like to underpin what he said by making a further point. The shadow Secretary of State made what was otherwise a rather well thought through response, and it was a pity that the point came up about formed units. The plain fact is that, since 2009, the reserve forces have been used as a part-time personnel unit organisation, and that does not appeal to high-quality leaders. We must have formed units and sub-units in the picture.

Lord Hammond of Runnymede Portrait Mr Hammond
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I know that my hon. Friend commands great respect on this issue across the House and I am sure that the right hon. Member for East Renfrewshire will have noted what he has said, reinforcing the point that I have already made. I genuinely hope that we can build consensus on that issue.