Scottish Regiments’ Campaign Appeals to Commons Defense Select Committee

“Keep Our Scottish Battalions” campaign urges MSPs of all parties to participate in debate on the proposed cuts to Scottish regiments.

The Keep Our Scottish Battalions campaign has asked the Commons Defence Select Committee to question the rationale behind the proposed cuts to the Scottish infantry battalions when they quiz the Secretary of State for Defence at their next meeting on 15th September.   

In a letter sent to all members of the Committee, Brigadier Allan Alstead, a senior figure in the campaign, identifies some of the key questions the campaign believes need to be asked and questions whether there is any sense in reducing infantry numbers when their skills are more in demand than at any time since 1945.  He also suggests that the Committee asks to see any operational analysis carried out by the MoD to support the cuts.

Campaign spokesman Clive Fairweather said:  “There appears to be undue haste and secrecy surrounding the proposed changes to the Scottish battalions.  We sometimes wonder whether there is any military case whatsoever for these proposed cuts, or whether there is some other agenda here.  I believe that the current consultation with the soldiers in the battalions will overwhelmingly reject any proposal to change the size and shape of the Scottish infantry.”

8 September 2004

Media contacts:

Charlie Pelling 0131 718 4297 or  07721 031535
Stuart Crawford 0131 718 4262 or 07957 859067

Notes to Editors

1. Brigadier Allan Alstead commanded the Kings’ Own Scottish Borderers in 1974-76 and 51 Highland Brigade in 1988-90.  On leaving the army he became Chief Executive of Sportscotland before joining Mercy Corps Scotland as Chairman.  He is currently in Afghanistan with the Mercy Corps.
2. The Keep Our Scottish Battalions seeks to preserve the current identities of all six Scottish infantry battalions – the Royal Scots, the Black Watch, the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, The Highlanders, the Royal Highland Fusiliers and the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.
3. The Commons Defence Select Committee is to meet the Secretary of State for Defence, Geoff Hoon, on 15th September to discuss issues contained in his statement to the House of Commons on 21st July and in the White Paper “Delivering security in a changing world: Future Capabilities.”

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