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Royal Irish Regiment (Home Service)

On the final question, I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and place my reply in the Library of the House. I thank him for his comments on the role of the Royal Irish (Home Service), and am sure that they are shared across the House. The hon. Gentleman asked about the potential for ongoing disturbances in Northern Ireland. He will know that overall responsibility for security matters rests with the Chief Constable of Northern Ireland, obviously with the support of other agencies, including the British armed forces. There is no question but that the Chief Constable is entirely happy with the proposals, but his expert judgment also plays a role. If the conditions and flavour of the times were different, we would not have begun the progressive normalisation process that is welcomed by everyone. Army resources will of course be available, if required, and that is also part of the understanding with the Chief Constable. The hon. Gentleman asked about the disincentive to transfer to other regiments. We have put up the £10,000 bounty to encourage those who wish to transfer to do so, as we are eager for that to happen. Those who do transfer will forgo the other part of the settlement, but I do not believe that to be a disincentive. We are keen for people to transfer, and the bounty on offer is substantial. I met members of the Home Service on deployment in Iraq, and some of them were already beginning to think about their future career in the Army. That is to be welcomed, and I thank the hon. Gentleman for his support for the overall package presented today.