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Future of the Territorial Army

I thank my hon. Friend, who served honourably in the cavalry. There is absolutely no doubt that the cadets feed the TA, which feeds the regulars. It is a top-to-bottom Army. Who trains the cadets? It is mainly ex-Territorials or ex-regulars, who have the necessary experience. If we do not have those people, they will not be able to do that. The crux of the argument is that TA units can augment local situations as well. If we get rid of the TA through not training it, it will not be available for deployment. Unless the Government give a firm commitment, not only now but for next year and the year after, that they are not going to cut the TA—an organisation of people who do this because they want to, and that has augmented from Dunkirk until now, and given 100 years of unselfish service—this will be a poorer country, and we will certainly have a poorer military, and a poorer TA.