ARMY
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made towards Army 2020; and if he will make a statement. [182355]
Mr Francois, Minister of State for the Armed Forces: Since the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), announced the outcome of the study conducted into Army 2020 on 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 1085, significant progress has been made. The proposition as set out in the study report has been refined and units have now been assigned to the new Reaction Force, Adaptable Force or Force Troops and their roles, the equipment they will hold and the new training requirements have been determined. In addition, Regular and Reserve units have been paired, in line with the move to a fully integrated Army, and future unit locations have been confirmed, taking account of the return of units from Germany to the UK. All this information is set out in the document ‘Transforming the British Army—An Update', a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
Transition to these new structures is now under way. Headquarters Force Troops Command has formed in its new role and Headquarters 1 (UK) Div and 3 (UK) Div will commence their new roles from autumn 2014; units will enter the new annual training cycle from 1 January 2015; and all major changes to structures are expected to be complete by mid-2015.
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on re-basing; and if he will make a statement. [182356]
Dr Murrison, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for International Security Strategy: The Ministry of Defence continues to make good progress delivering the Regular Army Basing Plan.