Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Monday 4th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hammond]

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for raising that important point. At the moment, the armed forces recruit about 8% of their strength from women, who make up about 50% of the target age group population, and just 3% of their strength from black and ethnic minority communities, which will make up about 24% of the target age group population by 2020. We have to do better in those areas, and one of the challenges that we have set for the armed forces, and for the Army in particular, is for them to work out how they can pitch an offer that is more attractive to female and black and ethnic minority recruits, and specifically how they can use female recruits more effectively within Future Force 2020.

[Mr Speaker]

Ian Lavery—not here.

[Catherine McKinnell (Newcastle upon Tyne North) (Lab)]

20. I recently joined more than 100 supporters of 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers as they marched on Parliament protesting against the Government’s decision to scrap it. Ministers believe that the battalion can be replaced by reservists, but the chairman of the Northumberland and North East Fusilier Association is concerned that it will be impossible to recruit the necessary numbers. Will the Secretary of State tell us to what extent the targets are being met?

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Hammond]

Perhaps my hon. Friend did not hear me earlier. I was not talking about inquiries; I was talking about 1,576 applications to join the Army Reserve in the first four weeks of the campaign. The simple fact is that if we are to live within our budgets and restructure the Army for its tasks in the future, the decisions we made about the size and shape of the regular Army must go forward, and the recruitment and training of 30,000 Army reserves must happen. We will make sure that they do so.

[Mr Speaker]

Progress on the first question was desperately slow; we really need to pick up.

[Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore) (Lab)]

2. What assessment he has made of the level of contracting by his Department with small and medium-sized enterprises; and if he will make a statement.

--- Later in debate ---

[Anna Soubry]

I cannot give my hon. Friend a figure, but as the scheme is worth £200 million we can be confident that it will be many thousands.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Sir Tony Baldry.

[Sir Tony Baldry (Banbury) (Con)]

19. My hon. Friend the Minister has ably answered the question I was going to ask, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

That is a remarkable self-denying ordinance. If the Minister wants to say something, we must not deny her the opportunity in her maiden performance in this portfolio.

[Anna Soubry]

As ever, I express my grateful thanks to my hon. Friend.

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am sorry to disappoint colleagues but as usual demand has outstripped supply.