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| Army job cuts: reservists expected to plug holes | Army job cuts: reservists expected to plug holes |
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| Laws to protect the rights of up to 30,000 reservists may be needed if the British army is to survive and adapt to the latest sweeping reforms. | Laws to protect the rights of up to 30,000 reservists may be needed if the British army is to survive and adapt to the latest sweeping reforms. |
| Seventeen units and up to 20,000 posts are to go in changes outlined by the defence secretary Philip Hammond, who made clear the army's future now depends on integrating regulars and reserves to fill the gaps left by several rounds of redundancies. | Seventeen units and up to 20,000 posts are to go in changes outlined by the defence secretary Philip Hammond, who made clear the army's future now depends on integrating regulars and reserves to fill the gaps left by several rounds of redundancies. |
| Hammond also said private contractors would have to play a greater role as the army downsizes to a full-time strength of 82,000 within three years. | Hammond also said private contractors would have to play a greater role as the army downsizes to a full-time strength of 82,000 within three years. |
| The number of reserves is due to double over this period, but Hammond and the head of the army, General Sir Peter Wall, acknowledged laws protecting part-timers, and the companies they work for, will have to be revisited. | The number of reserves is due to double over this period, but Hammond and the head of the army, General Sir Peter Wall, acknowledged laws protecting part-timers, and the companies they work for, will have to be revisited. |
| This could lead to a toughening of rules so reservists do not face any discrimination in the workplace, and more generous compensation for their firms that have to find ways of replacing them when they are called away. "The full integration of the reserves will be a central requirement if levels of capability are to be met," said Wall. "We are relying on greater capability from the reserves." | This could lead to a toughening of rules so reservists do not face any discrimination in the workplace, and more generous compensation for their firms that have to find ways of replacing them when they are called away. "The full integration of the reserves will be a central requirement if levels of capability are to be met," said Wall. "We are relying on greater capability from the reserves." |
| He said there would be a consultation paper in the autumn and, if necessary, legislation "for significant changes to terms and conditions". Hammond said: "If it requires new laws, we will legislate." | He said there would be a consultation paper in the autumn and, if necessary, legislation "for significant changes to terms and conditions". Hammond said: "If it requires new laws, we will legislate." |
| The predicament is one of the consequences of a budget squeeze which forced the army into a root-and-branch review, and has left it trying to recruit an enormous number of reserves while pushing full-time soldiers to the door. | The predicament is one of the consequences of a budget squeeze which forced the army into a root-and-branch review, and has left it trying to recruit an enormous number of reserves while pushing full-time soldiers to the door. |
| Details of the reforms were outlined by Hammond in a statement to the Commons after weeks of deliberation between the MoD and Downing Street. | Details of the reforms were outlined by Hammond in a statement to the Commons after weeks of deliberation between the MoD and Downing Street. |
| The key decisions include: | The key decisions include: |
| • Scrapping five infantry battalions – the 5th Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland, 2nd Battalion the Royal Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, 3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment and the 2nd Battalion the Royal Welsh. | • Scrapping five infantry battalions – the 5th Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland, 2nd Battalion the Royal Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, 3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment and the 2nd Battalion the Royal Welsh. |
| • The Royal Logistics Corp will lose three units, as will the Royal Engineers, and the Army Air Corps will lose one unit. | • The Royal Logistics Corp will lose three units, as will the Royal Engineers, and the Army Air Corps will lose one unit. |
| • The Queen's Royal Lancers are to be amalgamated with the 9th and 12th Royal Lancers. The 1st and 2nd tank regiment are to be merged. | • The Queen's Royal Lancers are to be amalgamated with the 9th and 12th Royal Lancers. The 1st and 2nd tank regiment are to be merged. |
| • Historic regiments spared include the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, the Queen's Dragoon Guards, Royal Dragoon Guards, the Rifles and the Parachute Regiment. | • Historic regiments spared include the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, the Queen's Dragoon Guards, Royal Dragoon Guards, the Rifles and the Parachute Regiment. |
| Wall said there would be two more redundancy rounds in 2013 and 2014, meaning thousands of troops will discover if they are being cut at the same time as British forces are withdrawing from Afghanistan. | Wall said there would be two more redundancy rounds in 2013 and 2014, meaning thousands of troops will discover if they are being cut at the same time as British forces are withdrawing from Afghanistan. |
| "There must inevitably be a reduction in the number of units in the army, otherwise we would become top heavy," said Hammond. | "There must inevitably be a reduction in the number of units in the army, otherwise we would become top heavy," said Hammond. |
| "This has been a difficult process and I understand the attachments of the regions to specific units, and the pride that they have in those units. But while we recognise and honour the golden history of the army, our first priority is making an army for the future." | "This has been a difficult process and I understand the attachments of the regions to specific units, and the pride that they have in those units. But while we recognise and honour the golden history of the army, our first priority is making an army for the future." |
| Hammond admitted morale was "fragile". He said: "We have a lot of work to do to take our people through these big changes. People never like change. Change brings uncertainty." He blamed Labour for leaving the MoD in a "shocking mess". | Hammond admitted morale was "fragile". He said: "We have a lot of work to do to take our people through these big changes. People never like change. Change brings uncertainty." He blamed Labour for leaving the MoD in a "shocking mess". |
| Wall said he wished the structural changes could be made more quickly, but that for practical reasons it might take five years. "I wish the rate of change in some ways would be faster. I think drawing this out over a protracted period … will be wearing on our people." | Wall said he wished the structural changes could be made more quickly, but that for practical reasons it might take five years. "I wish the rate of change in some ways would be faster. I think drawing this out over a protracted period … will be wearing on our people." |
| The changes are part of plans to implement a new structure, which will see the army split into three: reaction forces, adaptable forces and force troops. The reaction forces will be the army's spearhead and will be trained and equipped for speedy operations anywhere in the world. The adaptable forces will take over from the reaction forces, but will take 18 months to prepare for combat. They will be made up of existing full-time regiments and reserves. Underpinning both will be the force troops, or "theatre troops", which will comprise all the units required to support the frontline – such as the artillery, engineers, signals, intelligence and medical corps. | The changes are part of plans to implement a new structure, which will see the army split into three: reaction forces, adaptable forces and force troops. The reaction forces will be the army's spearhead and will be trained and equipped for speedy operations anywhere in the world. The adaptable forces will take over from the reaction forces, but will take 18 months to prepare for combat. They will be made up of existing full-time regiments and reserves. Underpinning both will be the force troops, or "theatre troops", which will comprise all the units required to support the frontline – such as the artillery, engineers, signals, intelligence and medical corps. |
| The reforms provoked spiky exchanges at Westminster, where MPs criticised the scale of the cuts. The Liberal Democrat MP for Colchester, Sir Bob Russell, said Hammond would "go down in history as the man who hammered the army". | The reforms provoked spiky exchanges at Westminster, where MPs criticised the scale of the cuts. The Liberal Democrat MP for Colchester, Sir Bob Russell, said Hammond would "go down in history as the man who hammered the army". |
| Labour MP Derek Twigg described it as a "dark day", and the Conservative John Baron, who served with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, said: "The government is making a very grave error. Not only does the decision to cut the army by a fifth smack of accountants running amok, the decision to axe the better-recruited English battalions at the expense of the more poorly-recruited Scottish battalions smacks of a grubby, political fix given the advent of the Scottish [independence] referendum." | Labour MP Derek Twigg described it as a "dark day", and the Conservative John Baron, who served with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, said: "The government is making a very grave error. Not only does the decision to cut the army by a fifth smack of accountants running amok, the decision to axe the better-recruited English battalions at the expense of the more poorly-recruited Scottish battalions smacks of a grubby, political fix given the advent of the Scottish [independence] referendum." |
| Jim Murphy, the shadow defence secretary, accused Downing Street of delaying Thursday's announcement so David Cameron avoided embarrassment ahead of Armed Forces Day last Saturday. | Jim Murphy, the shadow defence secretary, accused Downing Street of delaying Thursday's announcement so David Cameron avoided embarrassment ahead of Armed Forces Day last Saturday. |
| "He sought the reflected glory of the heroes who serve while preparing to cut the prestige they embody. The process has been as chaotic and the prime minister's behaviour has been cynical and should never be repeated," said Murphy. | "He sought the reflected glory of the heroes who serve while preparing to cut the prestige they embody. The process has been as chaotic and the prime minister's behaviour has been cynical and should never be repeated," said Murphy. |
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