asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received the report on the release of employees for Territorial Army service from the national employer liaison committee; if he will make the report public; if he will list the membership; and if he will make a statement.
The national employer liaison committee has now issued an interim report, which makes a number of recommendations aimed at, inter alia, increasing employers' awareness of the role and importance of the Territorial Army, thereby encouraging a greater degree of co-operation from them. These recommendations are being considered. The membership of the committee, to whom I would like to express the Department's gratitude for their worthy efforts, is as follows:NATIONAL EMPLOYER LIAISON COMMITTEE (NELC)—MEMBERSHIP
Chairman
- Mr. R. T. S. Macpherson CBE, MC, TD, DL.
Representatives from Industry, Commerce and Trade Unions
- Mr. A. J. Gooding.
- Chairman
- Gooding Group Ltd.
- The Right Hon. Earl Jellicoe DSO, MC.
- Chairman
- Davy Corporation.
- Mr. J. Leigh Pemberton.
- Managing Director
- Whatman Reeve Angel plc.
- Mr. F. A. Baker.
- Representing TUC.
- Mr. J. Miller.
- James Miller & Partners Ltd.
- Sir Trevor Holdsworth.
- GKN plc.
- Mr. J. Lyles BSc, ATI, JP.
- Chairman
- S. Lyles plc.
- Sir J. J. Salisse.
Representatives from MOD and Council of TAVRAs
- DGTA &.—Maj. Gen. C. E. W. Jones CBE.
- AUS(A).—Mr. M. J. Culham.
- Chairman Council of TAVRAs— Lt. Gen. Sir Peter
- Hudson CB, CBE, DL.
- Brig. TA—Brig. P. P. Orchard Lisle TD, ADC, DL.
- Vice Chairman Council of TAVRAs—Col. G. S. P. Carden
- CBE, TD, DL.
May be in Attendance
- DARC—Brig. W. K. L. Prosser CBE, MC.
- Col. TA—Col. A. C. Ward OBE.
- Secretary Council of TAVRAs— Maj. Gen. M. Matthews
- CB.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is now in a position to make an announcement about the payment of Department of Health and Social Security benefits to members of the Territorial Army; and if he will make a statement.
Members of the Territorial Army in receipt of supplementary benefit may earn an additional £4 per week from Territorial Army sources without effect on benefit, and are allowed to aggregate the total disregard of £32 per month. A procedure has also been introduced to reduce the delay in re-commencing both unemployment and supplementary payments on return from annual camp. The Government are now considering the position of members in receipt of unemployment benefit, and I hope to make an announcement on this shortly.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's review of vehicles and the use of ammunition by the Territorial Army.
Although reviews of vehicle holdings and the use of ammunition are being undertaken as part of the normal process of programme management, none of them relate specifically to the Territorial Army, although their needs will, of course, be taken into consideration.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in the Official Report for each of the years from 1978 (i) the strength and (ii) the establishment of the Territorial Army.
The respective figures for (i) strength and (ii) establishment of the Territorial Army at 1 April for each of the years from 1978 are:
| Year | Strength | Establishment |
| 1978 | 60,645 | n/a |
| 1979 | 59,387 | 72,635 |
| 1980 | 63,292 | 73,666 |
| 1981 | 69,524 | 73,666 |
| 1982 | 72,062 | 74,961 |
| 1983 | 72,825 | 73,765 |
| 1984 | 71,415 | 75,051 |
| 1985 | 73,675 | 77,659 |
| 1986 | 77,681 | 80,185 |
| Year | Strength | Establishment |
| 1984 | 317 | n/a |
| 1985 | 911 | 4,110 |
| 1986 | 3,005 | 4,200 |