Troops told: we don’t have enough kilts ... just share
FIVE THOUSAND soldiers in the controversial Royal Regiment of Scotland are having to share 320 kilts because no kilt-maker has so far been awarded the supply contract.
A spokesman for the MoD confirmed that Argyll Bagpipes and Kilts was responsible for producing 320 "trial" kilts which are worn by troops during ceremonial or public duties. The kilts have been issued to ensure they are of a good quality and standard before the contract for the full 5000 kilts is given.
Traditionally, Robert Noble, based in the Borders, has produced military tartan for Scottish regiments since 1850, but the contract was put out to tender earlier this year in a bid to ensure best value for money for taxpayers. This decision raised concerns that the kilts would be made in countries such as China, where materials and labour are much cheaper.
The contract, worth £1 million, to produce and sew 15,000 metres of fabric is now being drawn up, however, the MoD refused to reveal to whom it will be awarded.
An MoD spokesman said: "A planned deployment will be agreed with the Royal Regiment of Scotland on a roll-out basis with two battalions of kilts made by May 2007 and the full programme being completed by January 2008."
Dubbed the new "super regiment", the Royal Regiment of Scotland's formation was met with outrage after Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon announced that the Royal Scots and the King's Own Scottish Borderers were to amalgamate with the Black Watch, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, the Royal Highland Fusiliers and the Highlanders in December 2004.
Thousands of war veterans and campaigners marched through Edinburgh streets in the months after the announcement and submitted a petition to Downing Street in an effort to have the merger stopped. The attempts failed, and in August the Royal Regiment of Scotland was officially formed.
Campaigners and politicians were disappointed by the latest news. Jeff Duncan, campaign manager of pressure group Reinstate Our Army Regiments (Roar) said the pooling of kilts was an "insult" to Scottish troops.
"Successive Labour ministers have lied year on year - whether it is availability of body armour, properly insulated aircraft or dysfunctional ammo.
"Now we have a week which sees Des Brown exposed as lying to the house regarding allowances, and this latest insult to Scottish soldiers - who incidentally perform as Blair's frontline troops in Iraq and Afghanistan - being humiliated to share a few hundred kilts among them. Mr Blair promised they would get whatever was needed - what they need is a change of government."
Lt Col Willy Macnair, who served in the Queen's Own Highlander regiment, said the situation "shows how badly the amalgamation was thought through".
"It the kilt is psychologically important for the identity of soldiers. It may mean that some soldiers in this regiment, by the time they leave, may never have worn it."
Angus Robertson, SNP and Scottish shadow minister for defence and foreign affairs said: "This is yet another example of the MoD mistreating Scottish infantry. Having made the wrong decision to amalgamate the country's infantry regiment out of existence the MoD has shown itself incapable of making the right management for uniforms. This flies in the face of the assurances given at the time of the amalgamation announcement, that tradition would be maintained and the dignity of all units respected.
"This stands in stark contrast to the gung-ho move store place Trident nuclear weapons, with the expense of a new £25billion nuclearweapons system. Scotland's infantry deserves better than this," he added.
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