Govt "concession" on TA training cuts
Government offers slight concession on planned cuts to Territorial Army training cuts
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By Tim Lesnik. |  |
Monday, 26, Oct 2009 05:52
By Richard James.
The government has offered a slight concession on planned Territorial Army (TA) training cuts.
In response to concerns soldiers would be inadequately prepared to fight without proper training, armed forces minister Bill Rammell announced £2.5 million would be put aside for one nightly training exercise per month.
The Conservatives, however, have criticised the announcement, calling for a total reversal of the planned cuts.
Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox described the policy as a "shambles" and said the decision to cut the core budget of the TA by £20 million should be reversed.
Mr Rammell defended the government's decision to end weekend and night drill training for TA soldiers.
The cuts outraged serving troops, who asked how reservists could have confidence in their equipment or ability to fight in Afghanistan without adequate preparation.
The TA provides between six and ten per cent of troops for the British army and there are currently around 500 TA soldiers serving in Afghanistan.
As a result of the cuts, TA recruits will no longer be able to fire live rounds on the training ranges or drive tanks more than nine miles a month due to the costs involved in running the vehicles.
Soldiers will also be banned from training in gas chambers to prepare for chemical warfare, and will not be able to test if their respirators work.
Critics of the cuts have argued savings of £20 million are miniscule in comparison to the expertise and willingness to serve the country that would be lost.
In his statement to the Commons, Mr Rammell said the government had been "listening" to the concerns raised.