Jeffrey M. Donaldson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to ensure that checks on the complement and manning limit of reservist regiments are performed regularly and on time.

Mr Julian Brazier

The Reserve is a vital component of the Army’s military capability and the Ministry of Defence is committed to ensuring it continues to grow and contains the correct capability mix. There are a series of mechanisms to ensure this is the case.

The Secretary of State chairs regular meetings to review manning levels in the Army Reserve. In addition, manning levels are routinely reviewed through the Defence People and Training Board, Defence Board Meetings and a series of holding-to-account processes.

The Army also monitors the size and shape of its Reserve through bi-monthly boards, whilst the Executive Committee of the Army Board reviews manning levels on a quarterly basis.