Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for the (a) Armed Forces Covenant and (b) security of the realm of changes in Scots Guards troop numbers.

The size and shape of the Armed Forces has no bearing on the Armed Forces Covenant, which is a promise from the nation that those who serve or served in the Armed Forces, and their families, face no disadvantage in accessing public and commercial goods and services as a result of their military service. It also makes special provision for those who have sacrificed the most, such as the bereaved and injured. While our Armed Forces must rebalance, evolve, and modernise to meet the threats of the future, the historical importance of the Scots Guards to the British Army is fully recognised. The Defence Secretary will set out further details related to the Defence settlement in due course.