The Armed Forces and Defence Industry in Wales: Government Response to the Committee’s First Report of Session 2019

This is the government's response, published 13 March 2020.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government recognises the committee's concerns on basing, recruitment and industry but, while committing to "maintaining a strong Defence presence in Wales", it declines to set Wales-specific recruitment targets and does not commit to retaining the RAF training school at St Athan.

• On basing, the government says the planned reductions in Wales "are in line with the UK-wide reductions". HQ 160th (Welsh) Brigade "will be re-provided for in Wales", and it is "considering the feasibility" of relocating a further unit to Wales in the longer term.
• On 14 Signals Regiment, the government says it "continue[s] to examine options" and will confirm the new location "as soon as we are in a position to", without giving a date.
• On recruitment, it states it is "not persuaded" that specific targets for each UK nation would help, but is "content to provide the committee with regular updates" on recruiting in Wales, which it proposes to do annually.
• On the RAF No. 4 School of Technical Training, it "recognise[s]" the committee's disappointment and sets out reasons for co-locating it with other training sites, with the RAF vacating St Athan by 2024.

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