Army 2020

Nigel Evans Excerpts

Thursday 5th July 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Dai Havard (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

The memorial service for one of my constituents, Lance Corporal Richard Scanlon, which will take place on 21 July, will be easier now that we are not getting rid of the Queen’s Dragoon Guards. I wrote to the Secretary of State about the criterion that was being used. Today’s statement is effectively a work in progress, which is understandable. There is now some limited information in the attached written statement about how the employment model might be taken forward and the discussions about the reserves. However, the argument about saving the Welsh Cavalry was not an argument simply about the Welsh Cavalry; it was an argument about how things looked across the whole of the United Kingdom. This is a United Kingdom issue, but it is also a Navy and an Air Force issue, and at some point I would like to know how the Secretary of State plans to show us how integration will work not only across the Army, but across—

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans)]

Order. Please resume your seat. Questions must be brief. Hon. Members can see how many—[Interruption.] Order. Hon. Members can see how many of them wish to be called on the statement. I cannot allow it to go until the very end, because we are time limited and there is other business to come. Mr Havard, will you please ask a question?

[Mr Havard]

My question is this. The decision about whether these formations are about need or about money will require further debate in this House, involving a lot of people. How does the Secretary of State intend to proceed?

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans)]

Brief questions, please, and brief answers.

[Jim McGovern (Dundee West) (Lab)]

I am delighted to hear that the name of the Black Watch will be retained. I offer my gratitude to the 3,000 people in Dundee who signed the petition in support of the Black Watch. At the risk of being accused of nepotism, I must also mention my mother, Alice McGovern, who collected more than 1,000 of those signatures. In fact, she was ejected from a local shopping centre for collecting signatures for the petition. People have—

[Mr Deputy Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman should keep his question brief.

[Jim McGovern]

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker.

People have talked about what happened on the previous Government’s watch and about what is happening on this Government’s watch. I would like to ask the Minister whether, on his watch, there will always be a Black Watch.

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans)]

Order. Questions need to be very brief with no preambles.

[Anna Soubry (Broxtowe) (Con)]

Will the Secretary of State be so good as to come to the reservist centre at the Chetwynd barracks and meet senior officers who told me on Sunday that they believe we need legislation if we are to deliver the number of reservists we clearly need?

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Hammond]

I welcome the strong link between Wales and the British armed forces, and I am sure that those who have campaigned on the Queen’s Dragoon Guards will be greatly relieved.

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans)]

I would like to thank hon. Members and the Secretary of State. In the end, everyone who wanted to contribute was able to do so.