Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has he made of the potential negative impact of removing parachute infantry deployment as a capability.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) considered all aspects of Defence, including military parachuting capabilities. The SDR recommended that airborne parachute capability and capacity should remain focused on specialists and a single battalion group. The Government accepted the recommendations of the SDR in full and will publish the Defence Investment Plan as soon as possible to set out the plan for its implementation.