Tobias Ellwood On MOD Cuts: Reservist Suspensions 'Very Concerning’

The Chair of the Defence Select Committee has criticised recently announced plans to suspend naval reservists for the first time, as part of £1bn in cuts.

The British military is to make the cuts over the next year in response to a £13bn defence funding black hole.

And Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is aiming to save £7.5m by keeping Royal Navy reservists at "high readiness if needed" until April 2021.

Mr Ellwood told Forces News: “To now hear that there may be threats to the size of our reservist force and, indeed, to training hours is very concerning indeed.”

Drill nights, training weekends and two-week training for the reservists will be "paused" throughout the period – a move criticised by Mr Ellwood.

The British Army veteran added that he had not been on any operation where the regular forces had not been “made up” using reservists, which he described as "a critical component".

The move is part of cost-cutting measures implemented by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to make in-year savings on a £13bn gap in funding, evidenced by a National Audit Office (NAO) report earlier in the year.

It comes less than a month after Boris Johnson set out a £16.5bn increase to the MOD's budget over the next four years.

On Tuesday, the Defence Select Committee quizzed Sir Stephen Lovegrove, Permanent Secretary, MOD, on the spending strategy to accompany the promised funds – hearing nothing of plans to suspend the reservists.

Mr Ellwood questioned the need to make savings at all, asking: “Do they have to be made or should we be making the case to say this is where our money should be spent?”

More “honesty” with the public about the state and capability of the Armed Forces is required, he said, specifically on the ageing equipment and the treatment of personnel.

“I’d prefer to be making the argument to say this is one place where we should be spending taxpayers’ money,” he said, adding that he doesn’t believe the £13bn black hole should be written off.

Removing personnel capability would be “very dangerous” and detracts from future equipment investment, he continued, before looking ahead to the planned arrival of the Integrated Review in 2021.

The defence, security and foreign policy is set to be the largest of its kind in decades but has been delayed due to COVID-19.

The UK’s ambitions, threats and its posture to face up to the two will be highlighted in greater detail by early next year, he explained.