Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will assess the value for money to the Army of adopting the officer training procedures of the Royal Marines.

The single Services routinely consider synergies in their training programmes. The Defence Academy in Shrivenham is an example of where joint-service training creates efficiencies for the Defence budget. However, the British Army and Royal Marines have distinct and specific roles, and the training received by their officers recognises this.