---

Defence in the United Kingdom

Since I took on this role for the Opposition, I have made it clear that I believe that it is essential to match commitments to resources and resources to commitments. The complaint that I make now, and the reason why the armed forces are under such pressure, is that those resources and commitments are out of kilter. That is why some of the matters that I shall now outline are in fact the case. Out of the armed forces helicopter fleet, 25 per cent. is grounded, with many needing lengthy overhauls, largely due to flying in Iraq. Out of the fleet of 569 helicopters, 121 are in repair and 79 have been classified as beyond repair. All of the RAF specialised aircraft in Iraq are grounded due to mechanical faults, more than 50 per cent. of the UK’s armoured vehicle fleet is not fit for use, and only 1,483 of the Army’s 3,340 combat reconnaissance class vehicles are in working order. The armed forces are now under intolerable pressure."““We have seen the reality of activity far outstripping the levels predicted in the review on which resources were supposedly based. But we have not seen any matching rise in defence spending . . . as a percentage of GDP, defence spending has fallen away.””—[Official Report, House of Lords, 17 January 2005; Vol. 668, c. 484–85.]" Those are not my words, but those of our most recently retired Chief of the Defence Staff, Lord Boyce."““It seems extraordinary . . . at a time . . . when Iraq needs reinforcing; when Afghanistan needs additional troops . . . that we are actually reducing the size of the Army and in particular the number of infantrymen, who are the very people we need on current and future operations.””—[Official Report, House of Lords, 17 January 2005; Vol. 668, c. 564.]" Again, those are not my words, but this time those of the former Chief of the Defence Staff, Lord Guthrie.