Lord Sharman: My Lords, before the Minister sits down, perhaps he could clarify something that I thought that I heard him say for the record. I thought that I heard him say twice, "knowingly and recklessly", not "knowingly or recklessly". "Knowingly and recklessly" would go a long way to solving my concerns with the clause.
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: No, my Lords, if I did not say it, I meant, "knowingly or recklessly". It is rather difficult to know how you can have knowingly and recklessly together. It is knowingly or recklessly.
Baroness Noakes: My Lords, I thank the Minister for that comprehensive reply which, of course, we will have to study in detail. I also thank him on behalf of the noble Baroness, Lady Goudie, for the offer of reconsidering the aspect that she raised in her amendment, which is important, before Third Reading. I must tell the Minister that we remain unconvinced that letting the Bill proceed with the offence as drafted is the proper way forward. I still think that the Government have not produced any evidence that the offence is necessary. It seems to be made up on the basis of hypothetical situations that officials sitting in Victoria Street dream up about what auditors say to finance directors when they are having a drink. Frankly, it is ludicrous.
We will consider the matter very carefully between now and Third Reading. We will obviously want to discuss the contents of the Minister's speech with those outside who have a particular concern. I am sure that we shall return to it again on Third Reading. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
[Amendments Nos. 330 to 335 not moved.]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: My Lords, I beg to move that further consideration on Report be now adjourned.
Moved accordingly and, on Question, Motion agreed to.
Written Statements
Wednesday 10 May 2006
10 May 2006 : Column WS49
Army: Infantry Regimental Headquarters
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): My right honourable friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Adam Ingram) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
In the Written Statement made by my right honourable friend the former Secretary of State for Defence on 24 November (Official Report, cols. WS 143–47), he informed the House of work which, as part of future infantry structure (FIS), would examine the supporting infrastructure of infantry regimental headquarters (RHQs) to ensure that they can effectively support the infantry in the future. This work has now concluded and the new arrangements are set out in the tables below.
The Assistant Chief of the General Staff has concluded a review of RHQs and I have endorsed the finding that a single RHQ will be established for each infantry regiment, supported as necessary by a network of outstations to maintain the traditional regimental footprint. This format closely mirrors that already adopted by a number of existing multi-battalion regiments, such as the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and the Royal Anglian Regiment. In line with the overall reduction in regiments post-FIS implementation, in the region on 15 RHQs of antecedent regiments will reorganise to become outstations or home headquarters of the new regiments created in FIS. One antecedent RHQ and four outstations will close between now and 2011. One new RHQ, for the Royal Regiment of Scotland, will be created. The colonel commandants of regiments have endorsed the principles for restructuring, the details of which have been subject to wide-ranging consultation. The resultant organisation is considered to be the most efficient method of delivering the functions of our RHQs in order to support the future infantry structure. They will continue to give maximum support to our soldiers while making the most effective use of taxpayers' money.
The RHQs will also continue to fulfil their remit of supporting former members of the infantry, and it is important not to lose sight of the role they play in preserving the illustrious history and traditions of their antecedent regiments. No regimental museums will close as a result of this review.
Subject to trades union consultation, the new RHQ structure will lead in time to a small reduction in the overall number of staff required and it is hoped that this can be achieved through natural wastage and relocation, although a very small number of redundancies may be necessary.
10 May 2006 : Column WS50
Summary of Infantry RHQs 1 and Associated Outstations
Foot Guards
| Regiment | Location | NewDesignation | Remarks
|
| Grenadier Guards | London2 | No change |
|
| Coldstream Guards | London | No change |
|
| Scots Guards | London | No change |
|
| Scots Guards | Edinburgh | No change | Outstation
|
| Irish Guards | London | No change |
|
| Welsh Guards | London | No change |
|
| Welsh Guards | Cardiff | No change | Outstation
|
The Royal Regiment of Scotland
| Old RHQ | Location | New Designation | Remarks
|
| Edinburgh | Main RHQ: The Royal Regiment of Scotland Edinburgh Castle | Regiment newly formed under FIS
|
| The Royal Scots
|
| (The Royal Regiment) | Edinburgh | Home HQ: The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) |
|
| The Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment) | Glasgow | Home HQ: The Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment) |
|
| The King's Own Scottish Borderers | Berwick-Upon-Tweed | Home HQ: The King's Own Scottish Borderers |
|
| The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) | Perth | Home HQ: The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) |
|
| The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) | Inverness | Home HQ: The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) |
|
| The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) | Aberdeen | Outstation closes in 2011 | Museum of the Gordon Highlanders remains
|
| The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) | Stirling | Home HQ: The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) |
|
Queen's Division
| Old RHQ | Location | New Designation | Remarks
|
| The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) | Canterbury | Main RHQ: The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) |
|
| The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers | London (Tower of London) | Main RHQ: The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers |
|
| The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers | London | Outstation in Tower of London merges into the main RHQ |
|
| The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers | Newcastle | The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Newcastle Outstation |
|
| The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers | Warwick | The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Warwick Outstation |
|
| The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers | Bury | The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Bury Outstation |
|
| The Royal Anglian Regiment | Bury St Edmunds | No Change. Remains Main RHQ: The Royal Anglian Regiment |
|
| The Royal Anglian Regiment | Norwich | Outstation closes 2008 |
|
| The Royal Anglian Regiment | Warley | The Royal Anglian Regiment Warley Outstation |
|
| The Royal Anglian Regiment | Northampton | The Royal Anglian Regiment Northampton Outstation |
|
| The Royal Anglian Regiment | Lincoln | Closed |
|
10 May 2006 : Column WS51
King's Division
| Old RHQ | Location | New Designation | Remarks
|
| The King's Own Royal Border Regiment | Carlisle | The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border) Carlisle Outstation |
|
| The King's Regiment | Liverpool | The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border) Liverpool Outstation |
|
| The King's Regiment | Manchester | The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border) Manchester Outstation |
|
| The Queen's Lancashire Regiment | Preston | Main RHQ The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border) |
|
| The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire | York | Main RHQ The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th,19th and 33rd/76th Foot) |
|
| The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment) | Richmond | The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot) Richmond Outstation |
|
| The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) | Halifax | The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot) Halifax Outstation |
|
10 May 2006 : Column WS52
Prince of Wales's Division
| Old RHQ | Location | New Designation | Remarks
|
| The Cheshire Regiment | Chester | The Mercian Regiment Chester Outstation |
|
| The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (26th/45th Foot) | Worcester | Closes in 2010 |
|
| The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment 26th/45th Foot | Nottingham | The Mercian Regiment Nottingham Outstation |
|
| The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's) | Lichfield | Main RHQ: The Mercian Regiment |
|
| The Royal Welch Fusiliers | Wrexham | The Royal Welsh Wrexham Outstation |
|
| The Royal Regiment of Wales | Cardiff | Main RHQ: The Royal Welsh |
|
The Rifles
| Old RHQ | Location | NewDesignation | Remarks
|
| The Light Infantry | Winchester | Main RHQ:
|
| The Rifles | The new regiment's RHQ forms in Winchester
|
| The Royal Green Jackets | Winchester | |
|
| The Light Infantry | Bodmin | The Rifles Bodmin Outstation | Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
|
| The Light Infantry | Taunton | The Rifles Taunton Outstation | Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
|
| The Light Infantry | Durham | The Rifles Durham Outstation | Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
|
| The Light Infantry | Pontefract | The Rifles Pontefract Outstation | Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
|
| The Light Infantry | Shrewsbury | The Rifles Shrewsbury Outstation | Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
|
| The Royal Green Jackets | Oxford | The Rifles Oxford Outstation | Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
|
| Devonshire and
|
| Dorset Light
|
| Infantry | Exeter | The Rifles Exeter Outstation | Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
|
| The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and
|
| Wiltshire Light
|
| Infantry | Gloucester | The Rifles Gloucester Outstation | Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
|
| The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and
|
| Wiltshire Light
|
| Infantry | Salisbury | The Rifles Salisbury Outstation | Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
|
| London | The Rifles London Outstation | Subject to Lt Div Council endorsement
|
10 May 2006 : Column WS53
The Parachute Regiment
| Old RHQ | Location | New Designation | Remarks
|
| RHG The Parachute Regiment | Colchester | No Change |
|
| The Parachute Regiment Museum | Aldershot | Close under Allenby-Connaught (Museum to move to Duxford) | Move in 2008
|
1 Not included are HQ of the Brigade of Gurkhas or RHQ of the Royal Irish Regiment who remain unaffected by this review.
2 All Foot Guards RHQs, while separate, are located within Wellington Barracks, London.
