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Iraq:
UK Forces in Multinational Division (South-East)
As
part of the routine management of UK forces in the Multinational
Division (South-East) (MND(SE)) in Iraq, we intend to
conduct a roulement of forces involving the replacement
of 40 Commando Royal Marines with the 2nd Battalion
the Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment.
The
Secretary of State for Defence announced on 17 June
(Official Report, column 48) that 40 Commando would
deploy to MND(SE) during June and July, both to provide
support to Iraqi security forces and to provide the
capacity for some other tasks, including the protection
of essential infrastructure. The General Officer Commanding
MND(SE) has concluded that there will be a continuing
requirement for these tasks beyond elections in Iraq
planned for 30 January. Based on this advice, we have
decided that 2nd Battalion the Princess of Wales’
Royal Regiment should replace 40 Commando when their
six month deployment in Iraq comes to an end in January
2005.
Since
1 November, 2nd Battalion the Princess of Wales’
Royal Regiment has been acting as the Very High Readiness
Reserve (VHRR), at 10 days’ readiness to deploy
to Iraq. In January the responsibility for VHRR will
pass from 2 Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment to
the 1st Battalion the Royal Scots.
The
roulement is currently planned to take place from early
January 2005, with handover to 2nd Battalion the Princess
of Wales’ Royal Regiment complete by mid January.
We expect that the number of armed forces personnel
in theatre will remain broadly the same as a result
of these changes, with the other major UK units currently
in Iraq unchanged. These units are as follows:
- 4
Armoured Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron
- The
Queen’s Dragoon Guards
- The
Royal Dragoon Guards
- 4th
Regiment Royal Artillery
- 1st
Battalion Scots Guards
- 1st
Battalion Welsh Guards
- 1st
Battalion The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment
- 21
Engineer Regiment
I would emphasise that these are routine adjustments
to UK forces in MND(SE). We continue to consider, with
our partners in the multinational force, the levels
and dispositions of forces required in Iraq in the months
ahead, to support the sovereign Interim Government of
Iraq through the process leading to the election of
an Iraqi Transitional Government and assembly in January
2005 and full constitutional elections in December 2005.
If we judge that further changes to the UK military
contribution in Iraq would be appropriate to support
this process, we will of course inform the House at
the earliest opportunity. At present, however, no such
decision has been made.
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