Member

I cannot satisfy everybody with those remarks, and all I am saying is that I am laying out the alternative. I am sure that the noble Lord, Lord De Mauley, will disagree with what I have just said, and there is nothing I can do about that. I fundamentally respect the point he will make about that. It may be that the noble Earl, Lord Minto, and others in the Chamber will say, “The Minister is totally wrong. He is destroying and undermining the regional bodies”. What I am saying is that the alternative view is to say we will set up a strong co-ordinated body at a national level which will take on board certain functions and then, within that, the regional framework, which is absolutely fundamental for both the reserves and cadets, will be established to deliver in what the Government regard as a more powerful and effective way.