Richard Drax (South Dorset) (Con): I speak as a former soldier, and I have huge respect for the Defence Secretary. I appreciate that he has inherited a mess and is under orders from above, but I have to say that I think that the announcements the Government are making are very short-sighted. Soldiers I have spoken to, including senior soldiers, all say-and I agree with them-that if the Army is to get smaller, the proportion of professionals must get higher. Would he be prepared to change his mind on that point?
Mr Hammond: No. If we are to protect our military output-the capability of the Army-in a world where budgetary constraints mean that we can have only a smaller number of regular serving soldiers, we must integrate more effectively with the reserves and use our contractors more effectively. That is the only way to protect military capability within those constraints.