Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy of reducing Army personnel numbers by 7,000.

In light of the decision to change the time period of the Spending Review, the Government is considering the implications for the completion of the Integrated Review, and will provide an update to Parliament in due course.

The Spending Review process is continuing, and the Ministry of Defence is in discussion with the Treasury on the Department's settlement. We will continue to deliver the Equipment Plan, but as always, we will keep under review the relative priority of different capabilities as our understanding of evolving threats and new opportunities develops.