PRINCESS OF WALES'S ROYAL REGIMENT AND THE TA IN THE SOUTH EAST

Early day motion 1596, tabled 23 July 1998 by Laura Moffatt (Labour). Signed by 13 members.

That this House recognises the crucial role played by the two Territorial Army Battalions of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment in the South East in supporting their two regular battalions with manpower, with links to the community, career opportunities and that infantry, Royal Engineers, Royal Signals, REME, RAMC and that other units provide logistic and training support for the Army Cadets; notes the regular army is now at its lowest size for over a century and that the Territorial Army represents the regenerative base in the event of a national emergency; notes that one battalion of the regiment recently showed the versatility of the Infantry by providing the logistic backup for the recent Reserve Forces Congress in Brighton; and notes that a Territorial PWRR team are the reigning infantry (Regular and TA) orienteering champions; notes that the Infantry is crucial to the whole ethos of the TA in the area as the Regiment represents seven famous former regiments and now proudly bears the name of The Princess of Wales; notes that there are now less than 1900 territorial posts spread over a population of over four million in Sussex, Kent and Surrey and any diminution will make it impossible to maintain a military footprint and give support to the Cadets; and therefore calls on the Secretary of State for Defence to maintain both battalions of the Regiment of Sussex, Kent and Surrey.

Signatures by party: Conservative 10, Labour 3.