£3.9bn Army cuts ‘pale in comparison to waste’

PLANS to cut the size of the Army are estimated to save around £3.9 billion over 10 years, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said, prompting criticism that the savings “pale in comparison” to money “wasted” on procurement.

The Government set out plans last year to reduce the size of the regular Army, lowering the target size from 82,000 personnel to 72,500 by 2025.

When the announcement was made in March 2021, the Army had around 76,500 regular soldiers.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the Commons at the time that the Army’s “increased deployability and technological advantage will mean that greater effect can be delivered by fewer people”.

Mr Wallace argued his department is modernising the armed forces with a focus on capability over troop numbers and “sentimentality”.

Defence minister James Heappey has now confirmed that the change is estimated to save around £3.9 billon over 10 years.

He said: “Whilst the Regular Army reorganises to its new structure of 73,000, naturally this will result in workforce cost savings. The reduction of the Army to 73,000 by 2025 has been estimated to present £3.9 billion in savings over the 10 years following the financial year 2021-22.

“The department is delivering record investment in the Army, providing £41.3 billion in support of existing platforms and new equipment.”

Labour shadow defence secretary John Healey said: “Despite the Government confirming in its Integrated Review last year that threats to Britain are ‘growing and diversifying’, defence ministers plan to cut the Army by another 10,000 soldiers.

“This plan is driven by pressure to cut costs, not by Britain’s defence needs. Defence ministers have lost any grip on MoD spending and are trying to balance the books on the backs of forces personnel.

“The MoD have wasted £6 billion since 2019, when the current Defence Secretary came into post, and a total of over £15 billion since 2010.”