REDUCTION IN HOUSEHOLD DIVISION'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECONOMY

That this House, now aware that an infantry battalion stationed in London costs about £15 million per annum, 19th November, Official Report, column 130, and noting the major contribution of the Household Division to the £1,000 million earnings from pageantry in London during 1990, conscious of the serious over-stretch presently experienced by those undertaking public duties, following a 30 per cent. reduction in the strength of the Household Division in the previous round of cuts, and the adverse effect this has already had upon recruiting, is totally unconvinced that a 40 per cent. cut in the strength of the Household Division will be remotely cost effective; fails to understand the logic of why the collapse of the Warsaw Pact justifies cuts in the Household Division of almost double the proportion deemed appropriate for the Army as a whole; is deeply concerned at the implications these cuts will have upon recruiting and the maintenance of standards within the Household Division; and calls upon the Secretary of State to think again about his current plans for cuts and the proposed destruction of the Guards depot by its transformation into a Socialist style 'comprehensive' Army training depot before further irreversible harm is done to the morale and effectiveness of both the Household Division and the British Army as a whole.