Leader: A good move - but the army needs support to make it

AMID THE many uncertainties clouding the future of army bases and personnel in Scotland, three points are clear.

The first is that the 18,000-strong British Army contingent in Germany is to be completely withdrawn by 2020. The second is that operational bases are available at Leuchars and Lossiemouth for at least some of those personnel to be relocated. And the third is that the use of these Scottish bases, as well as cushioning at least some of the economic impact of the closure of RAF operations, present a value-for-money option relative to the cost of establishing brand new bases elsewhere.

For these reasons, the UK government's plans to double the size of the army north of the Border by rebasing about 3,000 of the returning troops in Scotland is to be welcomed.

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Such an outcome, however, is far from certain. Some senior army figures are said to be resistant to the proposal because of a lack of training facilities, while others have expressed concern over the availability of appropriate accommodation on the sites for single soldiers, and also over the retirement of famous military cap badges.

With the clampdown on defence spending, these are difficult times for the armed forces. Compromises will have to be made. Abandoning the available bases in Scotland would fuel political criticism and expose the government to charges of a withdrawal from Scotland. Equally, however, the army needs assurances that it will be given necessary support for top-level training here and the accommodation and logistics that go with a durable facility.