Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Army Reserves: Covid-19

Monday 21 September 2020 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Army reserves provided support during the COVID-19 pandemic by mobilising about 1,800 personnel.
  • Reservists assisted with tasks including distributing personal protective equipment, delivering mobile testing units, and helping build Nightingale hospitals.
  • The Minister acknowledged the service of a constituent from Crewe and Nantwich who was mobilised as part of the Mercian regiment.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Kieran Mullan Con Bexhill and Battle
NHS Defence
Context

The question arises from the significant role played by Army reservists in assisting with various aspects of the pandemic response, including distribution of PPE and setting up mobile testing units.

Question

What support have the Army reserves provided in tackling the covid-19 pandemic?

Answer from James Heappey

Some 1,800 Army reserves were mobilised as part of Operation Rescript, the MOD's contribution to the covid response. From distributing personal protective equipment in the NHS to delivering mobile testing units and helping build the Nightingale hospitals, our fantastic reservists and the unique skills that they bring have been invaluable in helping the country manage the covid pandemic.

Answered
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Q2 Kieran Mullan Con Bexhill and Battle
Defence Veterans
Context

The question is prompted by the deployment of certain reservists, such as Josh Grant from Crewe and Nantwich, who were willing to assist during a crisis. It addresses how remote mobilisation can be better utilised and what measures can support both employers and reservists.

Question

I want to begin by thanking my constituent Josh Grant and others from Crewe and Nantwich who were mobilised as part of the Mercian regiment and were willing to step up and help our country at a time of crisis. What can we learn from the use of remote mobilisation as part of our efforts, and what more can we do to support employers and reservists whose deployment time is reduced from what they have already agreed with their employers?

Answer from James Heappey

I join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to his constituent, and I thank him for his service. As my hon. Friend will appreciate, there is a balance between making the reserve as easily deployable as possible and reservists' not unreasonable expectation to have some certainty about the duration of their mobilisation. My fantastic predecessor has now accessorised some ermine with his combats. Lord Brigadier Lancaster will be conducting a reserve forces review over the coming months, in which exactly these sorts of issues will receive his attention.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific measures to support employers and reservists were not directly addressed; future review mentioned but no concrete timeline or details provided.

How: Future Review

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