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Defence in the United Kingdom

The reason for the proportion of non-British citizens is probably a mixture of those alternatives. A conscious decision was taken to encourage what are known as Foreign and Commonwealth personnel into the armed forces, and the proportion that the hon. Gentleman quotes is about right. All of the people to whom he refers serve with distinction, and I draw his attention to the bravery of Fusilier Beharry from Grenada, who won a VC. Others among that element in the armed forces have served with considerable distinction as well, and they bring much strength and support. Another example might be the Gurkhas, and I am sure that the hon. Gentleman is not suggesting that their presence in our armed forces is undesirable. I am also sure that he is not suggesting that we should not encourage South Africans, New Zealanders, Australians and others into the British armed forces. However, we are always aware that a balance needs to be struck in these matters. We must maintain the pressure on recruitment, and I shall say more about that later.