A NELC employer visit to Kosovo (14 August 1999)

Details of the Volunteer Reserve Forces Campaign Photographic Competition 1999 (11 August 1999)

Minutes of the Annual General meeting of the National Employers’ Liaison Committee, held at the Duke of York’s Headquarters (26 April 1999)

North of England TAVRA – Speech by Chairman NELC (16 April 1999)

North West & Isle of Man TAVRA AGM – Speech by Chairman NELC (30 March 1999)

Western Wessex TAVRA AGM – Speech by Chairman NELC (26 March 1999 )

Prime Minister endorses employer support for members of the Volunteer Reserve Forces (17 March 1999)

Chairman NELC visits Bosnia (Dec 1998)

Click here to return to the news page.

Item 1 – Chairman’s Introductory Remarks

The Chairman opened the Meeting at 1430 hours and thanked everyone for attending. He welcomed Mrs Susan Anderson who was attending for the first time and representing the CBI. He said that he had received apologies from Sir Clive Thompson whose other commitments had prevented his attendance. Other apologies had been received from Committee Members Robin Geldard, Paul Orchard-Lisle, David Webster, General Sir Edward Jones, Rear Admiral Rod Lees and Brigadier Richard Holmes. He welcomed Air Cdre Derek Andrews who was representing General Jones, and Col Gordon Allen who was representing Brigadier Holmes.

He went on to say that there would shortly be a briefing by Brigadier Tim Tyler (Director Army Staff Duties) who would brief the Meeting on the Mobilisation Feasibility Study work and would welcome feedback from Members. He pointed out that there had been a great deal in the media about defence matters in recent months. The air campaign and subsequent deployment into Kosovo had further stretched already busy units. The situation had been further exacerbated by the crisis in East Timor and by the protracted negotiations in Northern Ireland. The reports about contingency planning and a potential need to mobilise major elements of the Territorial Army had caused employers to seek reassurance regarding Defence plans. It was against that background that Brigadier Tyler would speak.

Item 2 – Mobilisation Feasibility Study Briefing

Brigadier Tyler explained that the Secretary of State had endorsed a study based on the Balkans deployment. The work was driven by operational requirements – the need for combat trained soldiers. He pointed out that the scenario was in accord with the parameters of the Strategic Defence Review but reminded the Meeting that some of the new units and manpower had not yet been put in place. The current manning difficulties that had been widely reported were also affecting the situation.

The Study was looking at the feasibility of mobilising up to about 400 personnel, principally signallers, engineers and logisticians. The Study was to report before the end of the year. In terms of technical issues, the use of the Territorial Army was consistent with the Strategic Defence Review direction that it was to be relevant, usable and integrated. Legally the mobilisation was feasible under the terms of the Reserve Forces Act 1996.

Turning to practical issues; a major consideration was the length of mobilised service. To date, volunteers had served from 6 to 9 months but it was recognised that 6 months was the recommended maximum in respect of any compulsory mobilisation. As much notice as possible needed to be given both to employers and Reservists. It was also recognised that there were some concerns over job protection. Employer support was, therefore, a key factor as was sustainability within the Territorial Army. The Ministry of Defence would be expecting assistance from the National Employers’ Liaison Committee and the 14 Associations. There were also questions as to how the work would be integrated through the Associations and the "Chain of Command".

On the matter of "Force Generation" he explained that the Study had considered two options; either calling out specified sub-units or random selection. There were advantages and disadvantages in respect of both courses. In the case of the former there might be a significant impact on a local area while in the latter there could be an adverse effect on Reservists’ morale. In all cases affordability and value for money had to be taken into account.

Concluding, he highlighted three main points: the yardstick for mobilised service would be 6 months; roles of the Committee, Associations and "chain of command" would be key and whether RFA 96 offered a sufficient degree of confidence in respect of job protection.

The Item was opened for discussion it was suggested that many Reservists preferred to be compulsorily mobilised. There was also discussion on the numbers likely to be involved and, particularly, the possible impact on small firms. It was a matter for debate whether Reservists working for small firms could reasonably be called upon. Others questioned whether there were members of the Territorial Army who were likely to be at least partially ineffective as a result of their work place responsibilities. If there was to be compulsory mobilisation, guidance on the expected frequency of future mobilisations would be helpful.

Discussing the issue of small firms, it was made clear that Reservists working for those employers might find that their employers were able to make a successful appeal for deferral or for exemption from service. This would have the adverse effect of necessitating that increased numbers of Reservists might need to be mobilised.

The situation in Scotland was discussed. It was suggested that Reservists were keen to be mobilised but the Regional Employer Liaison Committee members were concerned that existing legislation might not protect employment. It was generally agreed that, while this concern was recognised, there were significant disadvantages and difficulties in enforcing legislation in these circumstances.

Discussion also took place on some proposals for "training cycles" that might mean that sub-units would be potentially liable for deployment only once every nine years. The matters of openness and declaring membership of the Reserves to employers were considered and it was agreed that it was important to move away from any uncertainty. The Chairman commented that it would be helpful to get some accurate facts and figures to inform deliberations. It was thought that larger employers would remain supportive as long as the frequency of use of the Reserves was not greatly increased. The question was raised whether "voluntary mobilisation" would cease but the Chairman explained that it would continue in parallel.

The manning situation of the Regular Forces was discussed and the potential effect that it might have on the Territorial Army in the longer term. It was explained that action was already being taken to rectify the problems and that any mobilisation would provide additional capability. It was confirmed that the Feasibility Study was very clearly limited. If, in future, there was a need to re-examine the position this would be done, since making more use of the Reserves was entirely in line with the Strategic Defence Review announcement and the way in which it was being implemented.

There was some discussion on the humanitarian and peace-keeping basis for mobilisation. The Committee was reminded that the assessment of the threat to the UK was that an attack in the short to medium term could not occur. The Reserves would, therefore, be more involved in other types of operations. It was agreed that there were misperceptions and lack of understanding of these issues amongst employers and the public at large. It was suggested that a political endorsement was needed of the value of Reserve Service and to reassure employers. It was thought that the higher the level of endorsement the more likely it would be that the message would be put across effectively.

The Committee was reminded that the Reserve Forces Act 1996 was, in itself, a means of taking the Territorial Army from the Cold War era into the next century. The Chairman then drew that Item to a close by thanking Brigadier Tyler and his team. He said he was particularly grateful for the frank answers that had been given to questions and commented that the work that had been done would not be wasted no matter what the final decision.

Item 3 – NELC Strategic Direction

The Chairman introduced the next Item by reminding the Committee that he had asked Hew Balfour to take a look at the way NELC business was conducted. A synopsis of some of his points had been circulated and he would shortly ask Hew Balfour to "set the scene" and expand on the points that had been passed to the Committee. Thirteen years after the formation of the Committee, a great deal had been achieved, especially the achievement of the support of more than 6000 employers; it had been calculated that these employers represented nearly 70% of the Nation’s Workforce. Times were changing and in the past three years important changes had been made that affected the way the Committee did business. More was being expected of Reservists and employers and there was anecdotal evidence at least, that the NELC message was not always heard or properly understood. Additionally there were concerns that the provisions of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 needed further explanation and publicity especially at a time when the feasibility of compulsory mobilisation was being studied.

Hew Balfour explained that he had not completed a full review but had made contact with the Associations in Scotland. This had led to some useful meetings from which he had drawn his conclusions. He said there was a perception that the National Committee was too far-removed from the Regional Committees. It was suggested that, where possible, national members should be affiliated to, or attend, regional committee meetings. Holding a joint meeting with the regional chairmen and secretaries in February would also address this issue.

The regional view, at least in Scotland, was that a high profile campaign was needed to make clear the relevance and agenda of Reservists. He offered to assist in any sub-committee to tackle this and other issues. He pointed out that much of the documentation that had been produced or was in draft was unclear to the employers whose support was being sought and made a plea for simple, clear documents without acronyms and military jargon. Recognising that there were provisions for compensation payments, nevertheless he pointed out that it was often difficult and costly to find replacement manpower, especially at short notice. He reported that the view was that NELC should raise concerns, such as those he had mentioned, with the Government.

The Chairman thanked him and said that a change of message was needed. A point was raised on the matter of discrimination against Reservists (at work) and whether it could be monitored. The Chairman said that the RFA is not a guarantee against discrimination but it was a deterrent and made it possible to win compensation for unfair dismissal. The comment was made that the SDR had removed a number of “grey areas” but there was now a need to reflect the changed conditions. This included employers having the right to know about the status of their employees. A grass roots, bottom-up approach would be needed, coupled with a top-down commitment which would ensure the message reached all levels. One means that might be used to achieve this would be the creation of specialist teams at national or regional level and this should be looked at in more detail.

It was pointed out that even loyal and supportive employers would not be happy to have to augment the regular Armed Forces just because there were manning difficulties. It was made clear that levels of recruitment were high but that poor retention was causing some problems. It was suggested that there was a majority of Reservists who were aware of the new demands and ethos although it was acknowledged that there were still some whose perceptions had not changed from the Cold War era. Closing the Item, Committee Members were reminded by the Chairman that the many changes that had been discussed would be reflected in a new Management Plan which would be significantly changed from the one in current use.

Item 4 – FTSE Survey

Introducing the Item, Colonel Blake reminded the Committee that the Chairman had written to the top UK companies seeking their views on mobilisation issues and some additional areas. In addition a few international companies had also been canvassed. He summarised the results by saying:

• Generally they had been supportive
• They had requested a wide range of warning times – nil to a year but a month on average
• Most would support staff who volunteered to be mobilised
• Most were aware of RFA 96 but at least 20% were not

The process had been so successful that it was intended to introduce a cycle of consultation. Nationally the next target would be Public Sector Employers. He reported that it was proposed that the Associations should conduct regional surveys next year. These would target the small and medium sized employers. He also reported that Western Wessex Association was already in the process of conducting a survey of its supportive employers.

The Summary would be circulated to all those who had responded together with any information that they had requested. The Committee Members were warned that they should not read too much into the responses that had been received. The support from major employers had historically been good albeit the message did not necessarily percolate down through the company in some cases. There was much anecdotal evidence to suggest the same levels of support could not be guaranteed where small and medium sized employers were concerned.

In discussion, the Chairman acknowledged that employers needed to be made aware of the new “environment” and what it meant for employees to be in the Reserves. It was pointed out that employers wanted a user-friendly guide to the Reserve Forces Act. It was also suggested that it would be helpful if examples of good practice could be exchanged. The Chairman, recognising the concerns, said that any campaign to educate people had only a short shelf life. He said it was important for the “chain of command” to ensure that Reservists were properly briefed in the coming year.

Accepting that this was an important step, it was also suggested that efforts should be made to ensure that the support given by board members and other executives was made known at all levels within supportive employers’ businesses. Colonel Stephenson said that the recently established Regional Recruiting Co-ordinating Committees would help improve employer awareness and give Regional Employer Liaison Committees a better point of contact with the command chain. The Chairman closed the Item by inviting Members to propose specific target groups for surveys if they wished.

Item 5 – Any Other Business

There were 3 items to be raised under Any Other Business. The first had been raised by Dame Margaret Turner Warwick and related to the increased commitment for employers. The Chairman asked if there were any additional points that she wished to raise, but thought that there had already been a good discussion of the topic under previous agenda items. Dame Margaret agreed and said she had no further points.

The second item was Committee Re-Appointments and Appointments; the Chairman invited Lieutenant Colonel John Bolton-Clark to update the Committee. Referring to the Committee’s status and the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments guidance, John reported that two posts had been advertised in respect of Paul Orchard-Lisle and Alf Gooding who were both retiring. In addition, after consultation, it was proposed to re-appoint Frank Graves for a further 5 years. In respect of Robin Geldard, a substitute was being sought from the British Chambers of Commerce which, in effect, had a tied position on the Committee in accordance with the Committee’s Memorandum of Understanding. The Chairman thanked him for his update and looked forward to seeing the list of potential candidates.

Colonel Blake reported on the third item, which was an update on the Management Plan and the work done by Committee Members. He said a good start had been made albeit that the levels of support and time pressures had imposed some limitations on parts of the work. In view of the time he would not cover all the work but would pick out a few examples. He commended the work done by Hew Balfour and said that it had already been discussed at some length. He said that there was an intention to achieve greater interaction with the Chambers of Commerce via Robin Geldard and his successor, something which a number of Associations had sought.

Lord Glenarthur had made a valuable contribution in getting some medical initiatives underway and it was intended to follow this work up by arranging a briefing for him by the Surgeon General’s staff as well as involving him in the medical visits programme. David Lambert had been pressing for the best possible Union representation not only on the Associations but also as members of the Regional Employer Liaison Committees. He was tackling the Scottish TUC regarding representation on the Lowland Association.

Anne Minto had been looking at Vocational Qualifications and the way that the Army, in particular, had been implementing them. She had met with Colonel Field-Smith and further meetings and a workshop were being planned. Dame Margaret had been much involved with medical initiatives and had participated in the first visit to Kosovo as well as attending a number of other meetings and exercises. Finally David Webster had been conducting a survey within Safeway on membership of the Reserves and how 7-day working affects their position.

On a related issue, he gave brief details of a new initiative that had been started as a result of a visit by the Chairman to Canada earlier in the Autumn. It was proposed to introduce a Unit Support Package for every sub-unit. This would contain useful material on how to win and maintain employer support and would also cover specific topics such as employment protection, the Reserve Forces Act and any points regarding mobilisation.

The Chairman thanked Committee Members for all their hard work. He stressed the importance of taking the various subjects forward and building upon the successes that had been achieved thus far.

Item 6 – Dates of Future Meetings

The Chairman invited the Secretary to give the dates for future meetings and to deal with any administrative points. The Secretary reminded Members of the following:

• Chairman’s Meeting for ELC Chairmen and TAVRA Secretaries – Wednesday 23rd February 2000
• NELC AGM – Wednesday 10th May 2000
• NELC Half-Yearly Meeting/Dinner – Monday 20th November 2000

Item 7 – Chairman’s Closing Remarks

Thanking the Secretary, the Chairman said that there had been a very full agenda and that a lot of ground had been covered. There were many important tasks that had yet to be tackled and the discussion on the change in ethos and the potential for limited mobilisation had shown there was a need for further education to improve levels of awareness. There would be a further drive to ensure that the Reserve Forces Act was properly understood and the business processes of NELC would doubtless evolve too. Publications would have to be updated and feedback and statistics would be sought by conducting surveys.

He reminded Members of his interest in the Vocational Qualifications and how important he thought they were. He said that further work with the Surgeon General’s staff was already planned. He commended the visits programme and asked that all Committee Members consider joining a party if at all possible; for his part he hoped to visit the Balkans with the Commander Joint Operations early in 2000.

Before closing the Meeting he said a few valedictory words about Brigadier Tony Verey. Tony was attending for the last time in his role as Brigadier Territorial Army and his contribution, made over the past few years, would be missed. It had been a challenging time for the Territorial Army, and the Chairman expressed the view that Brigadier Verey had carried out his tasks particularly well. He was not bowing out completely as he would retain links as an Honorary Colonel but the Chairman wished him good luck for the future and thanked him for all he had done.

Closing the Meeting the Chairman said that he would have thanked Robin Geldard, Paul Orchard-Lisle and General Sir Edward Jones had they been present. He would, however, save his remarks for his speech at the Dinner that evening.

National Employers’ Liaison Committee

Because of retirements, there is a requirement for NELC to appoint two new members in January 2000.

Background

In 1986, NELC was formed at the request of the Prime Minister in order to advise Ministers, and thus the Ministry of Defence, on ways to win and maintain the support of employers for those who wish to serve in the Volunteer Reserve Forces (VRF). In addition, NELC aims to improve retention by reducing annual turnover brought about by employment related issues. In 1988 a long-term media campaign, The Volunteer Reserve Forces Campaign (VRFC) was launched to help to achieve this aim. The Committee is made up of 12 employers and 3 military advisers. Representation covers the country and includes the President of the Confederation of British Industry, the Vice President of the Institute of Directors, a past President of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce and a senior representative of the Trades Union Congress.

Job Description

NELC will meet at least twice annually and, having been briefed on issues, members will be asked to advise on the following:

• raising the status of the VRF among employers, peer groups and families;
• enlisting support for employees who are, or wish to become, members of the VRF;
• maintaining effective liaison with employers and providing them with helpful advice on the VRF; and on
• the impact on the VRF of the current employment market;
• the development of the strategy, content, mix and budget of the VRFC;
• the efficiency and effectiveness of the VRFC and the development of new lines of action if necessary.

Members will be invited to undertake individual tasks each year, and these will be detailed in the NELC Annual Management Plan.

NELC meetings take place at the Duke of York’s Headquarters in London. Posts are part- time and unpaid though members may claim travel and subsistence expenses. Appointments are for five years, with the option of reappointment up to a maximum of 10 years’ consecutive service.

Selection

Members are selected on merit as individuals or as representatives of institutions (eg CBI, TUC, BCC, IoD), and are expected to bring to bear their experience in support of NELC. All appointments are publicised through Press Notices and all applicants will be required to complete a Political Activity questionnaire. Members will be selected for their ability to make a visible contribution to the NELC objectives and will be expected to monitor the implementation of those contributions. In offering themselves for selection, candidates should be aware that, if selected as members, they will be expected, from time to time, to represent NELC at functions and events and to give corporate support to agreed policies and views when so doing. Potential members will be provided with full background information about NELC’s requirements and responsibilities. Members are asked to agree to follow the 7 principles laid down by the Committee on Standards in Public Life. By clicking on the title, you will move to the principles page.

Appointments to NELC, like all MoD public appointments, are made in accordance with the Code of Practice for Public Appointments, administered by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. By clicking on the title, you will move to the OCPA page. The MoD is committed to the principles of public appointments based on merit with independent assessment, openness and transparency of process. Political activity will not be a criterion for appointment but candidates must subscribe to the objectives of the body in which they are interested.

The MoD is also committed to equal opportunities. Within the overall principle of selection based on merit, MoD will seek to raise the representation of women, people from ethnic minority groups and disabled people within MoD NDPBs. This is in line with the Government’s long-term objectives of equal representation of men and women, pro-rata representation of people from ethnic minority groups and increased participation of disabled people.

If you would like to be considered for appointment to NELC, or if you have any further questions, please contact:

Lt Col John Bolton-Clark
National Employers’ Liaison Committee
Duke of York’s Headquarters
Chelsea
London SW3 4SS

Tel: 020 7218 5625/2950
Fax: 020 7218 4888
e-mail: [email protected]

Further information can be found on the NELC website at: http://www.deltaweb.co.uk/nelc

Those interested will be sent an information pack containing further details of NELC and the VRFC, an application form, a job description and details of the complaints procedure. The closing date for application is 30 November 1999.

When British Forces crossed into Kosovo in June 99 as the spearhead of the NATO peacekeeping force KFOR, the world watched with anticipation. For almost a month our TV screens were filled with pictures of our Forces carrying out humanitarian operations under horrendous conditions – both physical and psychological – and yet if you ask the average man on the street to describe the army you invariably get a response that revolves around being shouted at, ordered around and bullied. Why, because this has been the stereotypical image that has been perpetuated since the days when it was such things were considered character building, and not negative, by the generation that used those descriptions.

As part of our revision of the Public Relations plan for the NELC, in the light of the SDR, this issue became the focus of our considerations. How best to address this perception and demonstrate to employers that today’s Armed Forces are at the forefront of modern management methods and that our Reserves not only mirror our Regular Forces in this respect, they are in fact fully integrated into a single organisation. The best solution was simple – don’t tell, show! Take the people we want to inform out to an operational Theatre and let them see for themselves! The imminent Army Medical Services Recruiting Campaign, coupled with our ongoing NELC efforts in support of Defence Medical Services in general, presented us with an ideal opportunity to "test" this idea for encouraging better employer support.

So it was that early one August morning a party comprised of 3 from NELC, 3 journalists, a regular Officer from 212 Field Hospital (V), a member of Surgeon General’s staff and 4 employers, boarded an RAF VC10 bound for Pristina, Kosovo. The visit was to be a pilot programme to test out the concept of employer visits to operational Theatres which, if successful, would form the basis for regular visits across all our operational theatres.

The group was assembled by 212 Field Hospital, a Territorial Army medical Unit based in Sheffield; who had agreed to act as guinea pigs for this project. They were invited from a range of NHS Trusts though out the Unit’s recruiting area; and represented a full cross-section of departments including Human resources, Clinical Directors and a Chief Executive.

The outline programme of the visit was:

Day 1. The party assembled at RAF Brize Norton for late morning VC10 flight to Pristina. A mid-afternoon arrival was followed by "In-Processing" and travel to 22 Field Hospital for accommodation.

Day 2. A visit to HQ Logistic Brigade for a briefing was followed by a visit to 2 Armoured Field Ambulance; including elements attached to the British Armoured Battle Group in Northern Kosovo. The evening finished with a Trauma Presentation and discussion with 22 Field Hospital’s A&E; Consultant.

Day 3. A visit to Pristina University Hospital (civilian) and meeting with Professors Redmond & Ryan; who are seconded to Pristina through DFID. This was followed by a return to 22 Field Hospital for lunch then briefing and tour of unit, Immediate Response Team demonstration and wash-up. The evening concluded with Dinner with Commander Medical and Commander Logistic Brigade and staff at HQ BRITFOR.

Day 4. Return to Airport for a visit to the British Aeromed Evacuation Centre and Airport Primary Care Centre before returning to the UK.

A more detailed diary of the visit is available by clicking here.

Overall, this was a most successful trip. The VIP visitors and journalists that we took to the theatre were impressed and were given an opportunity to see, in an operational setting, how the British Forces carry out their work as well as the role played by our Reservists. The trip provided an excellent opportunity to involve and to educate some key NHS clinicians and managers.

The National Employers’ Liaison Committee is sponsoring a photographic competition, in conjunction with Practical Photography Magazine, for images depicting life as a member of the Reserve Forces.

Categories

The categories for entries are:

• Category 1: Best Portfolio. Sponsored by Panasonic and Practical Photography
  • Eligibility: Open to civilian, military, professional or amateur photographers.
  • Requirements: Portfolio of six photographs depicting life as a member of the Reserve Forces. The portfolio should include at least one from each of the following themes:
    • (1) Military Training or Operations
    • (2) Military Sport or Adventurous Training
    • (3) Reservists in the Civilian Workplace
• Category 2: Best Military Training or Operational Photograph. Sponsored by Canon (UK) Ltd
  • Eligibility: Open to civilian, military, professional or amateur photographers.
  • Requirements: A single photograph depicting one or more Reservists in a military training or operational situation.
• Category 3: Best Military Sport/Adventurous Training Photograph. Sponsored by SnugPac
  • Eligibility: Open to civilian, military, professional or amateur photographers.
  • Requirements: A single photograph depicting one or more Reservists in a Military Sports or Adventurous Training situation.
• Category 4: Best Photograph taken by a member of the Volunteer Reserve Forces. Sponsored by Fuji Professional Imaging
  • Eligibility: Any currently serving member of the British Volunteer Reserve Forces.
  • Requirements: A single photograph depicting one or more reservists in either operational, military training, military sports/adventurous-training or workplace situation
• Category 5: Best PR Photograph. Sponsored by Young & Rubican
  • Eligibility: Open to civilian, military, professional or amateur photographers.
  • Requirements: A single photograph that could be used to promote the Reserve Forces to the General Public.

Competition Rules.

The rules are as follows:

• a. Photographs must be taken during the 12 months prior to the closing date.
• b. The closing date for the competition is 1700 hrs, 3 Sep 99. Entries received after that date will not be considered for an award. Judging will take place during Sep 99 and results announced on 1 Oct 99. The prize giving will take place at the HQ Club, Duke of Yorks HQ, Chelsea. An exhibition of all entries will be displayed at the prize giving and subsequently in the HQ Club.
• c. All entries must be prints and must measure exactly 8″ (+ – ½”) along the shortest edge and be flush mounted (no borders) on card.
• d. Entrants may enter only 1 portfolio in category 1. In categories 2-5 entrants may enter up to 2 prints per category. Entrants may include duplicate prints from their portfolio for the individual categories.
• e. All submitted prints must carry a copy of the Exhibition Certificate on the reverse. These are available, with the entry forms, from the address below..
• f. Copyright remains with the photographer. However, entry to the competition constitutes the granting of a licence to use the images for whatever purpose without fee to NELC and the Directorate Reserve Forces and Cadets. In this context entrants may be required to loan negatives/transparencies to DRFC4/NELC for copying/reproduction purposes.
• g. Chairman NELC has final say on all matters relating to the competition rules.
• h. Prints will not be returned to entrants.

Sponsors.

The following companies have already decided to sponsor the competition:

• Category 1 – NELC & Panasonic
• Category 2 – Canon UK Ltd
• Category 3 – SnugPac
• Category 4 – Fuji Professional Imaging
• Category 5 – Young & Rubican

Prizes.

The prizes are as follows:

Prizes for each category are:
First prize – £250 plus equipment as donated by the category sponsor for category winners;
2 x Runners-up – equipment; as donated by the category sponsor.

Competition Address.

The competition address is:

THE VRFC PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION
DRFC4/NELC
DUKE OF YORKS HQ
LONDON
SW3 4SS

For further information and clarification of the rules contact Maj Peter Clarke on:

Direct Dialling: 0171 218 5262
ATN: Main Building 85262
Fax: Main Building 84888 (0171 218 4888)
E-mail: [email protected]

Present:

• Mr John Bridgeman (Chairman)
• Mr Hew Balfour
• The Right Honourable The Lord Glenarthur
• Mr Frank Graves
• Mr Alf Gooding
• Mr David Lambert
• Ms Anne Minto
• Dame Margaret Turner Warwick

Military Advisers:

• Rear Admiral Rod Lees
• Brigadier Richard Holmes
• Air Commodore Derek Andrews
• Colonel Rex Stephenson
• Colonel Jim Blake
• Lieutenant Colonel John Bolton-Clark

Apologies:

Apologies were received from Mr Robin Geldard, Mr Michael Mander, Mr Paul Orchard-Lisle, Sir Clive Thompson and Mr David Webster.

Item 1 – Chairman’s Introductory Remarks

1. The Chairman opened the Meeting at 1430 hours by welcoming Members and thanking them for attending. He commented that it did not seem long since the Extraordinary General Meeting prior to the Annual Dinner in November 1998, but that much had happened. He referred to the February Meeting for Employer Liaison Committee Chairmen and the presentation of the 6000th supportive employer certificate by the Prime Minister in March and the subsequent Reception in Lancaster House. He reported that he had sent a letter to the Secretary of State on the subject of Public Sector Employer Support and that he had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Rear Admiral Rod Lees a copy of which was in front of everyone.

2. He further reported that he had visited a number of Territorial, Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve Associations and attended meetings and events in recent weeks. He referred to the confusion that was apparent as a result of the concurrent drawdown of the Territorial Army and its recruiting campaign and stressed the importance of good communications.

3. He welcomed those attending for the first time, namely Air Commodore Derek Andrews and Colonel Rex Stephenson. He then stated that apologies had been received (as per the list above); he mentioned that Michael Mander was making good progress following his recent operation.

Item 2 – Matters Arising from Previous Meetings

4. Turning to "Matters Arising", the Chairman recalled the previous briefing that had been given on the guidance forthcoming from the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. He stated that the Minutes would be published on the NELC Home Page to meet one remit that had been set. He also reminded Committee Members that they should complete their entries in the Register of Interests held by the Secretary. He said that the Meeting would be briefed on various initiatives and would also spend time discussing the Management Plan and Personal Objectives.

5. There would be a presentation by Young and Rubicam and there would be chance to discuss the National Advertising Campaign under Item 4 on the Agenda. He updated Members on plans to put the Advertising Agency into a Central Office of Information Competitive Tendering Process later in the year. Referring to the perception that the message was not getting passed down through the structure of organisations, he told Members that there would be an opportunity to discuss Agenda Items 5 and 6 in syndicates. He then asked Colonel Blake to lead on Agenda Item 3.

Item 3 – NELC Management Plan 99/00

6. Colonel Blake explained that Members had been handed copies of the Draft Management Plan and were invited to comment on it. He pointed out that there were some gaps in the Draft and asked that input for these be submitted by the middle of May. Essentially the Plan was intended to enable the co-ordination of the Members’ Objectives and to link in to the Memorandum of Understanding, the draft Job Description and the Management Plans of Director General Reserve Forces and Cadets and Director Reserve Forces and Cadets.

7. The Chairman thanked Colonel Blake and reminded Members that it was his aim to issue the Management Plan by the end of May. Before introducing Item 4, he reminded Members that additional funds had not been made available for a further post Strategic Defence Review advertising campaign. As a result, it was important that an advertising campaign for the forthcoming year should be run sooner rather than later in order to maintain momentum. He reported that the Executive Committee had been briefed on the Young and Rubicam proposals on 13th April and invited Graham Singleton and Wyndham Clark to give their presentation.

Item 4 – National Advertising Campaign – Plans for FY 99/00

8. The PowerPoint slides used by the team from Young and Rubicam were distributed to those present.

9. The Chairman opened the Item for discussion. Initial impressions were that using a theme and linking it to activities that would generate media interest was an improvement. The question of regional activities was raised and it was suggested that any campaign should not focus solely on London but be spread across the country. It was also thought that Public relations activity might be replicated if not co-ordinated and so there was a need to direct key activities. It was important that the "message" should be spread nationally and it was thought that the local media would be helpful in achieving this. It was pointed out that, over a week, national coverage would be difficult to obtain but, by spreading activities substantial momentum might well be possible.

10. It was acknowledged that there would be difficulties in getting television coverage and it was suggested that it would be a matter of trying to find a time when there was "not much else on". There were ways of interesting journalists such as using survey data which might assist the launch. It would be best to target specific journals and business supplements. The benefits of linking to events were also discussed. These ranged from Royal Ascot to the launch of Canary Wharf on the stock exchange. The operational situation was discussed and linkage to Kosovo was considered to be important. The Military Advisers favoured a focused campaign which was not too long. It was agreed that a combined national and regional approach was best. David Lambert suggested that a few of the most supportive employers might sponsor the campaign, especially regionally. The option of using the Defence Information Services organisation should not be neglected. It was also important to include elements of the developing NVQ and professional qualifications work.

11. Having discussed the funding available and the factors affecting a series of major events, it was agreed that, as a minimum, at least one substantial event should be staged this year. The "Kosovo effect" had to be borne in mind and might be either an advantage or disadvantage depending on how operations developed and the timing of any campaign. It was suggested that the BBC afforded the better option based on the time of its main news bulletin. Colonel Stephenson reminded the Committee of the problems of using the Territorial Army during the week. It was also sensible that one should not try to second guess what might happen in Kosovo.

12. It was agreed that "human stories" were particularly useful. It was thought that in addition to warning about the demands of Reserve Service, there were still many benefits that could be emphasised to employers ranging from those used historically to the more recent NVQs. Some major employers might be asked to provide statements making clear the benefits they derived; it would be helpful if line managers or foremen could be included in this. Other suggestions were that linkage could be made to Short Service Commissions, the Regional development Agencies and back to the "twice a citizen" theme.

13. The national element was mentioned and it was suggested that there were two main points to consider. The first was drawing attention to Reserve Service and the second was telling employers what they got back for giving their support; the two were not mutually exclusive. The Chairman acknowledged that both elements were necessary and that, ideally, any campaign should attempt to incorporate them both.

Items 5 & 6 – Communicating the Message

14. The Chairman introduced the joint items by pointing out that personal contact was often the best way to win and maintain support. He also acknowledged that there were problems getting the NELC message passed throughout an organisation. He therefore asked the Committee and its Advisers to form two syndicates to discuss the issues and report back.

15. Reporting back after the syndicates had discussed the topics, there was general agreement that both were important and needed attention. The previous attempts to focus on a level nearer the shop floor had not been wholly successful. Whilst large-scale events and campaigns were important and had their place, smaller scale activities properly targeted were likely to produce better returns. These efforts should encompass the elements of quality and commitment and would aim to improve the regard in which members of the Reserve Forces were held by their managers. It was also thought important that all levels of management should be targeted concurrently.

16. In wide-ranging discussions it was suggested that foremen and line managers might respond better if offered some incentive. It was for consideration that greater flexibility should be offered by the Services over training times. Recognition could be included in annual appraisals but for most companies and much of the Private Sector either profits or funding levels were key. Various points were made about the special requirements of certain types of unit and the demands that stemmed from operations such as those in the Balkans. Attention was drawn to conflicting demands on already taut workforces such as maternity and paternity leave, the working time directive and other social legislation.

17. Comment was made that even some supportive employers did not necessarily know which of their employees were in the Reserve Forces. There were confidentiality and legal aspects to be considered when constructing a database and asking employees direct questions about Reserve Forces membership. It was generally held that it would be easier to win and maintain employer support in the face of a national emergency when the well being of "UK plc" was threatened. To achieve support in a humanitarian operations situation was considered to be much more difficult.

18. The Items were summarised by asking what could be done to improve the message. Next efforts should be made to target the message positively reflecting the relationship to Reservists’ requirements. In terms of benefits to the employer, it was suggested that the example of Thames Water that had been given should be followed up and used as a template. There were important roles for both supportive employers and supported employees if the message was to be communicated in the best possible way. There was a need also, to involve the Regional Employer Liaison Committees and the Headquarters at LAND.

Item 7 – Specialist Areas

19. Colonel Blake updated the Committee on a number of specialist areas and demonstrated the NELC Home Page on the Internet. The area of Medical reserves was receiving special attention and meetings had been held with various members of the Department as well as the Health Sector. Committee Members were assisting with this work and progress was being made with a number of Ambulance NHS Trusts and the Private Medical Sector. The Chairman had written to the Secretary of State to raise these and related Public Sector concerns.

20. Work was continuing in support of NVQs and the Territorial Army Record of Service and Achievement (TARSA) which included Personal Development Records. This initiative would be particularly helpful in linking Reservists’ units and their workplaces. Other areas that are being supported included pointing out the value of Reserve Forces training for young managers and others who would make suitable young officers and assisting, where possible, adult members of the cadet movements. Also mentioned were attendance at the Institute of Directors Annual Convention, the Institute of Personnel Development and Training Conference and the NHS Confederation Conference in Harrogate. Finally attention was drawn to some forthcoming changes in the Territorial, Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve Associations and the telephone numbers and to the VRFC Photographic Competition.

Item 9 – Date of Next Meeting

21. The Chairman announced that the next meeting would be held on Wednesday 10th May 2000. This followed discussion during which the proposed date of 3rd May was rejected because of the early Spring Bank Holiday.

Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am delighted to have been invited back to the North East – thirteen years living in Northumberland, 4 years as a Northumberland Hussar; my three daughters are Geordies, all born in the Princess Mary Maternity Hospital in Newcastle – to attend this evening’s dinner, to be held in these magnificent surroundings. And finally the ultimate bonus when I was told that there would be no requirement for me to make a speech. That was good news indeed as I have been somewhat busy recently, speaking at numerous TAVRA occasions in my role as Chairman of the National Employers’ Liaison Committee. And, like most good Reservists – I obviously include many of you in that category – I do have another little job to keep me occupied during weekdays. You may be aware that I have had a few things to do recently in my other role as Director General Fair Trading; Supermarkets, New Cars, Football Clubs, Stuffed Ferrets – lots of problems to attend to.

However, earlier this week I was "called up" and asked whether I might be prepared to "come off the bench" as a substitute in the event that your Principal Guest, the Minister for the Armed Forces, Doug Henderson, was forced by the the operational situation in Kosovo to withdraw from the Dinner. Well, as you can see, circumstances have conspired against you and me! Nevertheless it still gives me great pleasure to be with you this evening and I would like to start by apologising on the Minister’s behalf. I have been keeping in close touch with his office since the initial "warning order" and he has asked me, particularly, to pass on how sorry he is not to be here this evening. Indeed, as you all know, with his local interest in Newcastle, he has had good reason to follow the TA Restructuring and implementation in this Association’s area closely.

I am sure that much of what I say would have been said by the Minister but I hope you will allow me to make just a few points on matters relating to employer support at the end. Two for the price of one, but I should like to start by talking about our Reserve Forces. You and I are here tonight because we support them and the same would be equally true for the Minister.

It is now nine months since the Strategic Defence Review was announced: This was a landmark Defence Review which laid the groundwork for subsequent Restructuring and for the future TA. I will say a little about that Review since, despite its critics, I believe that it has set our Reserves in general and the TA in particular on a remarkably sound footing.

Firstly I would like to lay some myths to rest. Whilst even the most vehement critics have to admit that the Review was indeed strategic, some maintain that there was one bit of it – the bit that concerned the TA – which was not. This is not the case. The Strategic Defence Review looked at two things: first those tasks that would have to be carried out by the Armed Forces in future; and second the size and shape of the regular and reserve forces which together would carry out those tasks. The Government decided that there was a need for a new balance between regular and reserve forces. And this balance needed to take account of the fact that our forces nowadays, have a very heavy commitment to operations overseas – heavier than all our allies with the exception of the United States. The kinds of operation to which our Armed Forces are increasingly being committed are not the kind of operation for which a British Government could regularly and persistently "call out" – by which I mean mobilise – the Reserves.

Of course it recognised that our Reserves offer an enormous fund of knowledge and skill, expertise and enthusiasm, innovation, ingenuity and imagination – which it would be criminal to waste – whether in the workplace or on duty! Reservists are also, of course, an insurance policy against a return to even more uncertain times. Thirdly they provide a vital link between the Armed Forces and the community. At a time when the Regulars are relatively thinly spread in the United Kingdom, this community aspect, or military footprint, takes on additional importance.

That is why the Government has sought to increase the size of the RAF Reserve, increase the use of the RN Reserve and maximise the use made of the TA. Some tasks are, under any analysis, only able to be carried out by Regular Forces because they need to be done quite quickly. Since that is often the case, the Government increased the size of the Regular Army and transferred some of the tasks from the Reserves to the Regulars. But, where this is not the case, it has assumed that it will be able to call on the Reserves. That size of the Reserve therefore reflects a maximalist approach to their use. The major increase in medical reservists is witness to the approach.

While we are talking about myths, reductions in the size of the TA have not been decided upon as a means of paying for increases in the size of the Regular Forces. That is the second misconception that ought to be laid to rest. Both the size of the Regular Army and the TA are a product of an analysis of the strategic situations we find ourselves in. This analysis affects not only the numbers but also the structure of the future TA and the ways in which the TA will be used. If the Reserves are to be used it will be in supporting roles which means fewer infantry, fewer yeomanry but an increased proportion in the supporting Arms and Services.

And so, having dealt with the myths, let’s look at reality. The Government sees the Reserves of the future to be far more usable and far more closely integrated with the Regulars. They will be properly manned, equipped, trained and resourced; the Government has given that commitment and in return, Reserves will be used. It has even been made clear that we are prepared to look for compulsory mobilisation, though the circumstances of each operation – and the Government’s response – will obviously be different.

At certain levels the Reserves may be called out as formed units or sub-units. More usually however, they will be looking for individuals to reinforce Regular units deploying on operations. That is why it remains so important for reservists to train within their own unit structure. That way, when they deploy to reinforce a Regular unit, they hit the ground running, especially now that they will have had a period of training at the newly opened Reserves’ Training and Mobilisation Centre. This will assist them in their integration into their new environment and enable them to make an effective contribution earlier.

The realisation that there is a greater likelihood of call out for the Reserves, coupled with the reductions in the TA, has given rise to concern amongst employers. Less people who are more likely to be called upon for longer periods is not necessarily the most welcome piece of news about key members of your staff! Speaking as Chairman NELC, you can be certain that I will ensure that the Government does not ask employers to carry more than their fair share of the burden. As at present, we will look for volunteers first. There is a commitment to call out Reservists compulsorily should it become necessary, but it is not a decision that the Government will take at all lightly. I can assure you that Ministers will think very carefully before disrupting businesses, and the lives of our Volunteer Reservists. "Britain calls up the Reserves" has a chilling ring to it which does not necessarily make the best headlines in the morning papers.

The key message that must be communicated to employers is that they enjoy a remarkably good deal from the military training given to Reservists. Our military training provides top class skills and qualities that benefit the employer and the workplace. The new Personal Development Records and TA Records of Service and Achievement which are being introduced will help this to be demonstrated more clearly. Personally, I am a great fan of NVQs and I am campaigning that they must be introduced widely across the TA. That will require commitment and funding, but will help retention and will assist in demonstrating the added value of the training that has been given. Exercise EXECUTIVE STRETCH remains a key component in offering employees, managers and employers experience and a better understanding of military training and how the Reservists might spend a weekend.

The Minister’s main message to you all tonight, I am sure, would have been that the TA is still very much in business – as the recent national and regional advertising campaigns made clear. The Government intends to use them and they are confident in doing so having ensured that they remain relevant whatever the strategic situation may confront us. As an aside, and I know that here, I am speaking to an informed audience, within NELC we have encountered some confusion regarding the apparent disparity between the TA Drawdown and the need to recruit 10,000 more people this year. We do need to explain that clearly; 2,000 additional medics, additional young officers and replacements for those retiring and for wastage in the 3 Services.

That, anyway, is the background to the changes announced in July and November last year; it is very much the "big picture". I hope you will agree that it shows that not only was the "big hand, small map" approach adopted, but that the unique character of the Volunteer Reserves and their local situation was also taken into account.

When Charles Baker-Cresswell, your Chairman, invited the Minister to speak here tonight, I know that he thanked the Minister for the improvements that had been made for this Association following the SDR announcement in July. In Government the process of policy formulation remains well guarded. Even so, we have been able to find out something about what was going on last year in the national media! Much correspondence was generated and this became important intelligence for Ministers.

I know that the Minister is very glad that it has been possible to treat the North East in a way that was, and is, manifestly fair. That was certainly the intention. There have been inevitable reductions in the number of TA Centres and in the size of the TA across the Country. Knowing the quality and character of our volunteers, this is regrettable but it is absolutely no reflection on them. The Country owes a debt of gratitude to our Volunteers and both Doug Henderson and I are very happy to make that clear. On his behalf also, I would like to express gratitude to those whose support is not necessarily so widely acknowledged – to family and friends, of course to employers, managers and colleagues at work and, of course, to those who work in and on behalf of the Association. Please accept our thanks and also, please, pass it on. And we too must now move on.

It is perhaps worthwhile to note some details of the changes in this part of the world; most of them are well known to you but I will outline them. The restructured infantry battalion, with its headquarters nearby in Giles Gate Armoury, will have units in Ashington, Alnwick, Newcastle, Tynemouth, Bishop Auckland, Chester le Street, Washington, Middlesborough and Scarborough and will also retain the Northumbria Burma Band. There will be three artillery batteries in Blyth, Gateshead, Newcastle and South Shields. There will be surgical units in Coulby Newham, Newton Aycliffe, Stockton on Tees and Sunderland. There will be Pioneer units in Berwick upon Tweed, Coulby Newham, Hartlepool, Hexham, Middlesborough and Washington. The Royal Signals will have units in Cramlington, Darlington, Hartlepool and Middlesborough and there will be units of the Sappers, REME, RMP and SAS that will be formed throughout the Region. I think that represents a pretty good hand of cards; well done North of England TAVRA! And at this point could I say how delighted I am about the 11th hour rescue of the Royal Signals band which has played excellently here this evening.

I should like now, to say a few words about the cadets. The Government has made very clear its support and admiration for the cadet organisations and on the Minister’s behalf – and personally too – I am pleased to do so again this evening. They have also matched words with deeds by announcing a modest increase in funding for the cadets – £3 million over 4 years – which will help to make improvements and benefit cadets of all three Services. It is appropriate that the funding will be passed down to local budget holders who are best placed to decide how the funds can be used most effectively. In addition a further £12 million has been given to ensure that there are no adverse impacts on the cadets as a result of the SDR and TA Restructuring moves and TAC closures. Taken together the extra funding will help to secure the future of the cadets and is visible evidence of the high regard in which the movements is held.

The Government recognises the many benefits that young people – and local communities – can derive from membership and strongly encourages them to join. For those that wish, cadet service also offers an opportunity to progress to a career with the Armed Forces. For others, just the chance to put on a uniform is the first real opportunity of a lifetime. In mentioning this, we should all pay tribute to the many, many cadet officers and adult instructors involved with the cadet movement; it is their dedication and commitment that makes it all possible. I should add that we, in NELC, recognise this too, and my letters to supportive employers now ask that they give support to the cadet organisations in just the same way that they support the Volunteer Reserve Forces. There is another cadets’ success story. It is within the outreach programme which perhaps some of you may not have heard about. Young people, identified by local authorities as being in some way disadvantaged, are offered the opportunity to participate in adventurous training activities with the cadets. Through this scheme, they can see an alternative to their own lifestyle of enormous benefit to growing numbers of young people.

It is a good example of co-operation between Government Departments since the outreach scheme is funded partly by the Home Office and brought into being by the cadet movement. It is, however, the adult instructors who help to make it work and we all, whether Government Ministers or members of the community, have a lot to thank them for. Recently I am sure many of you will have seen the "Get Some Attitude" advertising campaign for the Army Cadet Force. This aims to strengthen and develop the ACF to the benefit of all its "customers": cadets, parents, communities, the Army and our nation. It will help to reinforce the message that cadets make a valuable contribution to their communities and I am sure we all wish the Campaign every success.

I am nearing the end of my time, but I ought to say just a few words on four more points. I mentioned the example of co-operation between the Home Office and the MoD regarding outreach. Across the Public Sector as a whole, however, there are some anomalies regarding attitudes to support for our Reserve Forces. Indeed, I know that this Association is well aware of some of these issues in Health Service and in Home Office organisations. I have therefore written to George Robertson to ask him to consider these issues as a matter of urgency. My second NELC specific point tonight, is to ask for your support to ensure that our messages reach each and every part of employers’ organisations and each and every part of units and sub-units. I am afraid it is clear that there are still significant failures in communicating our message and, whilst we there may be good support and understanding at Main Board and Subsidiary Board levels, the same is not always true at the coal face. Bottom-up work is needed too and I ask you, please, to do that for us. My final NELC point is that the support of employers is now more important than ever. We need to make this clear, and we must ensure that we thank them for providing their goodwill and support; we are going to need it in the future.

My fourth and final point is inevitably topical. With the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, many of us were greatly relieved. But we must take care because the world outside is still full of poisonous snakes – and one of them is called Slobodan Milosevic.

President, Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, good afternoon; and may I start by saying how delighted I am to have been invited to be your speaker today? This is my first "official" visit to you as Chairman of the National Employers’ Liaison Committee and I am conscious that I have been a little remiss in not having managed to get here before. I say that for two reasons; firstly because there is, and always has been, a tremendous tradition of support for the Armed Forces, both Regular and Reserve, in this part of the country; secondly, and partly as a corollary of the first, there have also been very good levels of employer support since our Volunteer Reserve Forces Campaign was set up just over 10 years ago.

Normally I am a firm believer in Oliver Cromwell’s advice, to "Put your trust in God and keep your powder dry", but my main message today is one that bears repeating, namely, that the support of employers is now more important than it ever has been. Of course, it could be said that I am following Drake’s advice regarding his famous drum of which he said "strike it when your powder’s running low." I also know from the correspondence that I saw last year, that there are certainly some who would say that the latter quotation so nearly resembles the situation we are beginning to face that we should be "beating our drums".

But I most certainly do not want to spread alarm, nor do I want, in any way, to be negative. We are living in a period of change; it could be said, a period of unprecedented change. We have seen the start of the implementation of the Strategic Defence Review and also of the changes necessitated by the Re-structuring of the Territorial Army. The Royal Auxiliary Air Force and Royal Naval Reserve have both been increased in size by about 10 %, the Royal Marines Reserve will have more training days, and there have been assurances about more usable and better trained and resourced Reserve Forces all of which are commendable. The linkage to Foreign Policy is a major step forward even if it has meant that our Armed Forces are now more heavily committed to operations than at any time since the Second World War. We need to remember however, that the Regular Forces continue to be well under recruited and under strength and, despite a major improvement this year, the Army is not due to be fully manned for another 5 years or so.

All of these factors mean more work for the Reserve Forces and, by association, seeking and maintaining employer support is going to be hard work too. We have to communicate better and to try to prevent the misconceptions and lack of understanding that arise through our failure to do so. I am sure many of you will know that the Duke of York was promoted recently, but even now he does not have 10,000 men under his command. I mention this, because I am well aware that, to some observers, the Ministry of Defence has been marching its troops up the hill and then marching them down again! At least I know that is how some have viewed the reduction of the Territorial Army when coupled with the major efforts to re-launch its recruiting effort earlier last month. It might help if I were to explain that apparent anomaly. Essentially there have always been fairly high levels of turnover in the first three years of any Territorial Army career. The re-structuring has necessitated some volunteers having to leave. Some have been near their discharge point, others do not wish to change cap badge and still others will no longer be close to a TA Centre. But the outflow from the units remaining, and I remind you that there were either no significant changes or increases in well over half the TA, continues. Thus there is a need to make a major effort at recruiting and this is especially the case for medics and for young officers. Coupled with this is the related issue of the undermanning of the Regular Forces and their increased recruiting efforts. Here I must remind you that NELC is not part of the recruiting organisation but, of course, our campaign for Employer Support has a beneficial effect on both Retention and Recruiting. I think that we can all accept that, on some occasions we have to acknowledge the “bottom line” and that resources are not infinite. And it is also true that, with the disruption of frequent roulement tours and an employment market that is still pretty buoyant, the Regular Forces need to work hard to retain servicemen and women. So there has been a major recruiting effort to address their shortfall. Even if all the capabilities existed in the Regular Forces, and that is not always so, there would still be a need for both Regular and Reserve Forces recruiting despite any increase or decrease in the size of our Forces.

Mentioning the size of our Forces brings me to another often voiced concern. The pool of manpower, within the Territorial Army in particular, is becoming smaller. This bears a very close similarity to the situation in most if not all work places. Yet this same reducing pool of Reservists is being approached more regularly to volunteer to be mobilised. I can quite understand the concerns and I was happy that the Secretary of State was truthfully "up front" about the possibility of being prepared to mobilise if necessary. Nevertheless, I have told him that there are real fears amongst even some of our most supportive employers which should not be ignored. It is a fact that there is no end in sight for the deployment to Bosnia. There is a very strong possibility that we shall need more troops for the Kosovo operation as it seems almost certain that a ground force will be deployed once the air campaign is brought to an end. All of these factors simply add to the existing problem. And perhaps I ought to remind you that over 4000 Reservists have been used already in Bosnia and, today, there are about 500 in theatre. We now write to thank employers for releasing their employees. This is very important I think, because those two words mean a lot. We ought to say thank you more often since I know it is appreciated.

So, how best can we do our bit by recruiting more supportive employers? We have an excellent vehicle in Exercise EXECUTIVE STRETCH which, I know, is particularly well supported in this TAVRA area. There are likely to be pleas from COs to be exempted from running this exercise as, for the infantry especially, they face a year or so of disruption and reorganisation. I am pleased, therefore, that a pragmatic solution has been found and, although only two rather than three exercises will be run by this TAVRA, the number of places will be unchanged at 192. On a personal note, I always commend this exercise to the dark and light blue volunteers and suggest that they make sure they participate too as, in some places, there is a tendency to focus only on the TA.

On the recruiting theme, and as I have already mentioned, NELC does not number that direct function amongst its roles, we recognise the importance of opening channels of communication with the Health Authorities and Trusts, and also with the Private Health Sector, in their role as employers. I suspect that, as with some other specific Sectors, their support ranges from very positive through neutral recognition to hostile. There is a major recruiting task here, not only for the TA, but also for the other two Services, in seeking to address the major deficiencies in the medical services. We can help by ensuring that employers are aware of the benefits. I have asked each TAVRA to create, at the very least, a Medical Employers’ Liaison Officer and preferably a Medical Employers’ Liaison Team. I do not underestimate the difficulties we are likely to face in this area but it is such a vital capability that we must succeed. There is also a shortage of young officers; the young men and women that are needed are busy in their workplace and yet, the leadership and decision making skills they value are inherent in the training they would receive in the Reserve Forces. Again, we are not here to recruit those young officers, but we can make it clear to their employers that the profitable partnership we often speak of certainly applies.

Another concern which employers in this area have raised, is the question of flexibility over tour lengths. This is something which is already being addressed although the details may not have filtered down yet. The Royal Air Force has always adopted a flexible approach for some of its Regular personnel and this is also the case for the few Royal Auxiliary Air Force who are mobilised. The Royal Navy tends to appoint to individual posts and so also adopts a flexible policy both for Regulars and the Royal Naval Reserve. The Army has had to follow suit for medical reservists and may well need to do so for other specialists in the near future. The pre-existing arguments regarding costs of movement and lack of continuity, not to mention disruption, still apply and I do not expect to see any major change. What I will emphasise is that there needs to be an option to be flexible, and also that it is clearly wrong to lengthen a period of mobilisation unless the employer, as well as the employee, has given specific agreement.

I have not updated you on the activities of my Committee and Secretariat. In fact we held our Annual General Meeting for ELC Chairmen and TAVRA Secretaries late last month in London, which some of you attended, when that subject was covered in some detail. I will just say a few words about our relationship with the Secretary of State and his Ministers and how we are intending to carry forward our work.

I have found George Robertson to be very approachable and supportive. He takes a real interest in employer support but, understandably, is constrained by resource limitations. The Strategic Defence Review, and the downstream work, caused some hard decisions to be taken and whilst there was general support from the House of Commons’ Defence Committee for the Review overall, they strongly criticised the cuts to the TA. Nevertheless, there is now a very real role for our Reserve Forces and they are integrated with their Regular counterparts as never before. Most of this is very good news indeed and, dare I say, more than we might have expected only two years ago, before the Election. I also regularly meet John Spellar and have to say that his approach is both supportive and pragmatic. It might be helpful, in this context, to comment on the suggestion, made by some, that senior officers were dismissive of the Reserve Forces, particularly the TA. I can assure you that all the senior commanders I have met, including the Commander Joint Operations with whom I visited Bosnia just before Christmas, speak of the Reserve Forces most highly and recognise the contribution played by their employers. To suggest otherwise is not only divisive, it is plainly wrong and I hope that we can kill that suggestion once and for all.

On the Committee front, I am delighted to be able to report that we are creating a management plan and all my members have been asked to contribute their "personal objectives" for the year. So far the areas covered by members include two who will continue to work on initiatives concerning medical matters; one who will track NVQs and associated qualifications and assessment; another who will look at legislative issues such as the working hours directive; one who will look at the effectiveness of advertising; and another who wishes to broaden the briefing process by addressing groups of businessmen and women on the benefits of membership of the Reserve Forces from an employer’s perspective. Still another has offered to look at a tie in between the Reserve Forces and the Regulars in the workplace. Additionally we have asked that Director Reserve Forces and Cadets examine some inter-departmental issues amongst which is the matter of Reserved Occupations. I will also be writing to George Robertson on this subject since "joined-up Government" is much needed in this area; the Reserve Forces are, after all, a key part of UK Plc. I might add that we have been asked to assist with employer related problems encountered by Regular Reservists and also for Cadet Officers and Adult Instructors. It has even been suggested that we might be able to help in the "retention battle" being fought by the 3 Services and, perhaps rather too neatly, the subject of retention and wastage brings me back to the rationale for the creation of NELC in 1986, namely excessive wastage from, and poor retention in, our Reserve Forces. Well, we have moved on a long way since then but there can be no doubt that we have as much, if not more, to do in the future. So thank you for all that you have done so far and thank you for what I hope you will do!

Good afternoon, and thank you for inviting me to speak at your Annual General Meeting. I know that some of you attended our Annual General Meeting for Employer Liaison Committee Chairmen and TAVRA Secretaries in London in February. You will therefore be familiar with part of my theme, namely that we are living in a time of significant change and that it is important that we manage that change well. I will touch on that theme again today, but I will also be talking about some topics that have developed since that Meeting – I did say that we are living in a time of change – and Bruce has asked me specifically to tell you what your role will be here in Western Wessex.

What then, are some of the main changes to which I refer? Well I am sure you are all familiar with the generalities of last year’s Strategic Defence Review and the follow-on work on the Re-structuring of the TA. Of course, we must not forget the other Services too, especially, with your Chairman in mind, the Royal Naval Reserve, but also the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Both these Services were increased in size by about 10% as a result of the Strategic Defence Review with the attendant challenges of recruiting additional men and women and dealing with the funding, training and administration of them. I can imagine that those of you with loyalties particularly to the TA will be saying “those are the kinds of challenges we would like to be facing”. But, in the case of the TA, some pretty significant reductions were ordered. The final figure of 41,204 is not what some argued for but, equally, is not as bad as had been feared at one stage. Having said that, it means that a number of units will be disbanding and that some TA Centres will be closing.

What has all of this to do with the National Employers’ Liaison Committee? Well, we are already being asked by employers whether the more usable, relevant and integrated nature of our Volunteer Reserves is going to mean that they are less likely to be at work in the future! I hope that it will not be as bad as that save in the unlikely event of a national emergency. But I can assure you that we do understand the concerns that are starting to be expressed and we all need to make sure that we tell employers that is the case too! There are already provisions for compensation if employees are mobilised, and for deferral or exemption from mobilisation. Such safeguards, combined with the "value added" of membership of our Volunteer Reserve Forces, mean that we still have a potent message to put across. Equally I am not sanguine and I am pleased that George Robertson and his Ministers have been honest about their intention to make more use of our Reserve Forces and also to use compulsory mobilisation if necessary. It is also worth mentioning that presently all 3 Regular Services have retention difficulties and are significantly under strength. In the case of the Army, they are not due to be up to full, strength for a further 5 years. I am particularly reminded about this by employers when the suggestion is sometimes made that the Ministry of Defence is seeking their support "on the cheap".

Mention of that subject leads me into the topic of medical reserves and the whole issue of medical services in Defence in general. As part of the SDR, there was an increase of 2000 medical posts. There are pre-existing shortfalls of manpower in some of the medical reserves to be addressed as well. So, as part of the process, all TA bands will have medical roles, and each TA infantry and yeomanry unit will have to train 30 men and women as combat medical technicians. There was an announcement in mid-December about all these changes. Within NELC we have been working on some initiatives to assist since we recognised some time ago the magnitude of the task involved. Essentially there are insufficient medical personnel to meet all the demands of Defence and the NHS and Private Sectors. We have been working with some Ambulance Trusts and also with the Private Sector, linking them with the Medical Implementation Team and the Surgeon General’s staff and I am pleased to report that we are making some progress. But there is still much to do and I have asked each Employer Liaison Committee to create at least a medical liaison post if not a small team to help with the process of briefing. At the very worst, units will then not be trying to recruit in a hostile environment, and medical employers will know what the facts are and to whom they can turn for advice. 243 Field Hospital will continue to have an important role and there will be new challenges for the infantry and yeomanry as I mentioned earlier, so I hope that you will help where you can. You may not all know that there will be a special edition of the TA Bulletin devoted to medical reserves. This will be the fourth in the series that was produced to raise the profile of the TA following the Re-structuring, and which complemented the Re-launch in February together with the recruiting campaign and recent Open Doors Day.

The Volunteer Reserve Forces Campaign continues to extol the value of the profitable partnership. This applies, I believe, particularly with respect to young officers and, especially where employer support is concerned. The crux of the whole matter is that training in the Volunteer Reserve Forces is first class. More importantly still as far as some are concerned is the fact that it is provided at little if any real cost to employers. This is a strong marketing point which we have sought to emphasise in our advertising campaigns. I was delighted to see, in the SDR, that better training was a key component of the plans for our Reserve Forces. This will, in my opinion, help retention and certainly assists us in our campaign. Tied in to this are the Territorial Army Record of Service, Achievement and Personal Development (TARSA). In turn these components are underpinned by the provision of opportunities to gain professional qualifications such as NVQs, something which I happily confess that I wholeheartedly believe in! It is perhaps both humorous and frightening to think that, 100 years ago today they were debating whether or not they should raise the school leaving age from 11 to 12. That is a long way away from the cry today, endorsed I know by most employers, of education, education, education!

I know that service in the Volunteer Reserve Forces is an excellent means of developing young executives, and also that there are real shortages in units of good young officers. The challenge is how to achieve a pragmatic solution to the conflicting demands of career advancement in their main employment, with the commitment of time that being a young, or not so young, officer demands. I am aware that there are some who think that Exercise EXECUTIVE STRETCH is not all that it might be, but I know that it still provides an excellent way of educating, not only young executives and managers, but also their employers, and therefore has a spin-off in terms of recruiting. If you like, this is an example of added value by NELC since we have no recruiting remit but have only to win and maintain the support of employers. I am very well aware that there are some major changes underway here in Western Wessex and that what has been the “usual way” of supporting EXECUTIVE STRETCH may not, for this year, be possible. I hope that you will do all that you can to run it this year despite the problems, and I do commend its value, particularly run on a tri-Service basis.

Continuing on the theme of training and qualifications, in addition to the support we have given initiatives such as the TARSA Personal Development Record, I ought to tell you that I have been pressing George Robertson to ensure that NVQs and their assessment are properly funded for our Volunteer Reserve Forces. I think we can also justifiably point out to employers, the value of Reserve Forces training in relation to Investors in People and in support of their company Human Resources Policies, and we should not be shy in so doing!

I shall turn now, if I may, to a selection of other points that I will not dwell on, but which we can, perhaps, discuss further during the questions session. The NELC has been designated an Advisory Non-Departmental Public Body and we have to conform to the guidance issued by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Affairs. This is part of the Open Government initiative and also intended to ensure that gender and ethnicity dimensions have been addressed. Partly as a result, a Memorandum of Understanding has been drawn up between NELC and the Directorate of Reserve Forces and Cadets.

The day to day operation of the Secretariat is being reviewed and there have been some changes in the way in which the budgetary control is exercised. As a result, both the national and regional advertising agencies will be competitively tendered during the forthcoming Financial Year. There will also be a review of the Secretariat Manpower and its role although this should not affect any external dealings.

Talking of day to day activities, there is ongoing uncertainty I know over the structure and methods of operating of our TAVRAs. The changes proposed initially have been referred back for review and we await the outcome. I am not absolutely sure where we stand as at today, but I am aware that a number of new proposals have been made and there is the possibility that we may yet end up with a regionally based organisation that is not too dissimilar from that which we have today! Whatever the outcome, I know that we will continue to rely heavily on your support through your Employer Liaison Committee and its supporting County Teams.

Turning now to military operations, the manpower control organisation in Glasgow is now quite well established. Shortly the Reserves Training and Mobilisation Centre will open at Chilwell near Nottingham. There is no end in sight to the deployment in Bosnia. The escalation of our activities and ongoing airstrikes on Kosovo, with the deployment of ground troops a real possibility in the near future, this development has been much needed and will, I very much hope, solve some of the niggling concerns that still exist in terms of the mobilisation process. And I can report at first hand, that there are concerns, as I found out when I visited Bosnia, just before Christmas, with General Sir Christopher Wallace. We met a good number of Reservists who were all highly motivated and General Watt, the Commander of the Multi National Division South West could not speak highly enough of their contribution. That having been said, pay and administration difficulties had been encountered by some of them and it was also evident that some had accepted extensions of tour in the euphoria of the moment with little thought for their employer’s position. I have raised this latter issue and the more general issues with the Adjutant General who will soon have more direct responsibility for TA administration and training.

Letters are now being sent to employers to thank them for their support in releasing employees for mobilisation. We have taken some time to bring this to fruition, but initial responses are that the initiative has been welcomed. I might also add that we have included mention of the cadets in our letters for some months now. The many cadet officers and adult instructors across the country also do invaluable work and some, I know, make a huge commitment, often without payment or recognition; so we have asked employers whether they might also be given support.

The 6000th supportive employer certificate was presented to Canon (UK) by the Prime Minister just 9 days ago, and we also held a reception in Lancaster House to mark the event; indeed some of you were able to attend. We are looking to see whether we can find better ways to recognise supportive employers. Ideas currently under development include silver and gold awards, and selection for attendance at a special reception or garden party. Other suggestions have been forthcoming from NATO allies such as an "Employer of the Year" nomination system. Whatever we do, I do think that we need, if possible, some additional and better ways to recognise employers’ support if we are going to be asking more of them in the future.

I am conscious of the time and want to allow you the opportunity to ask any questions. I was asked to mention the Working Time Directive an issue that your Chairman and others within this TAVRA have quite properly raised. I can tell you that the matter is being addressed by the Ministry of Defence but there are numerous facets and complexities, and as yet no definitive position has been reached. Areas where particular difficulties spring to mind include doctors, pilots and HGV drivers; but I am sure that there will be others such as plant operators and air despatchers and more besides. You can be assured, however, that the matter is well recognised and you will be kept up to date as it proceeds.

I will end by mentioning another area that we are addressing and that is the subject of Reserved Occupations. Colonel Jim Blake has asked the Directorate to conduct a review since currently there are a number of anomalies. In particular, the Fire, Police, Ambulance and Prison Services have specific ways of using the regulations such that, with the exception of the Prison Service, employer support ranges from positive through neutral to hostile. There are, for example, Chief Constables who are committed strong supportive employers whilst there are others who have even directed their civilian support staff to leave the TA. Likewise, BT is an extremely supportive company, yet some of the employees might be better employed at their normal place of work in any national emergency. The reasoning behind the SDR acknowledges that there is no likelihood of a direct threat to the UK mainland in the foreseeable future – asymmetric threats aside! On this basis, it has been suggested that the fundamental assumptions on which Reserved Occupations were based may be worth revisiting. All of this work will tie in with requests for better inter-departmental co-operation and understanding which, in themselves, are all part of the joined-up Government initiative and I will be writing to George Robertson on this subject shortly.

Thank you for your attention; I will be happy to take any questions you may have subject to any constraints on time imposed by your President and Chairman!

The Prime Minister, The Rt. Hon Tony Blair MP today, 17 March 1999, endorsed the value of Employer Support for members of the Volunteer Reserve Forces. Mr Blair emphasised the benefits to employers of having reservists in their workforce.

Speaking as he presented the 6000 th Supportive Employer Certificate to Canon (UK) Ltd at Downing Street today, he said: "The Volunteer Reserve Forces make a vital contribution to the defence and security of our country. Time and again the strength and value of this commitment have been clearly demonstrated. In working to maintain and develop the conditions of Britain’s security at home and abroad, Volunteers provide an invaluable resource on behalf of society. The skills and experience gained by Volunteers from their service are of undoubted benefit in the development of British Industry and commerce."

The presentation at Downing St.

In recognition of employers’ support for the Volunteer Reserve Forces a Government Reception was held at Lancaster House, St James’s that evening. The Secretary of State for Defence The Rt. Hon George Robertson MP and Chairman of the National Employers’ Liaison Committee, Mr John Bridgeman TD DL received over 400 Employers and members of the regular and reserve forces. Both Mr Robertson and Mr Bridgeman attended the Downing Street presentation.

John Bridgeman, Director General of Fair Trading and Chairman of the National Employers’ Liaison Committee visited Bosnia on the 14th and 15th December with Lieutenant General Sir Christopher Wallace, Commander Joint Operations. Arriving in theatre at Banja Luka, he was briefed by the area Commander, Major General Watt and his staff on the mission for the Multi National Division (South West), before touring the town and meeting Volunteer Reservists including Staff Sergeant Blair Smart of the Scottish Yeomanry and Dundee City Council, Environmental Protection Department, who showed him round his playground project.

Chairman NELC Mr John Bridgeman (L) and with Lieutenant General Sir
Christopher Wallace, Commander Joint Operations (R) meeting members of the
Worcestershire and Foresters Regiment in Jajce on 15 December 1998.

The following day, Mr Bridgeman visited the Worcestershre and Foresters Regiment in Jajce and, in addition to seeing parts of the historic town, met more Volunteer Reservists before taking time to present the Territorial Decoration to Captain Tim Hallam – of the 3rd Battalion Worcestershire and Foresters Regiment (Volunteers). He then flew to Sipovo to meet Volunteers serving with 16 Field Ambulance Group and 1st Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers before returning to Banja Luka and thence to the United Kingdom.

A proud moment for Volunteer Reservist Captain Timothy Hallam (40), a self
employed Designer and Sculptor from Huddersfield, as he is presented with his Territorial
Decoration by Mr John Bridgeman, Chairman NELC at C Company, 1st Battalion The
Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment Headquarters, Jajce, Bosnia. The
Territorial Decoration is awarded for twelve years Reserve Service, Tim’s UK unit is the
3rd Battalion Worcestershire and Foresters Regiment (Volunteers), based in Worksop.

Mr John Bridgeman, Chairman NELC (with beret) with some of the of Volunteer
Reservists trained as Vehicle and Recovery Mechanics, who are serving with 1 Battalion
REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers), Close Support Company at Sipovo,
Bosnia. Home units include Royal Monthmouth Royal Engineers (Militia) from Cwmbran,
124 Recovery Company REME (Newton Aycliffe) 104 Battalion 201 Workshop Company
REME (V) based at Bordon, Hants. 231 Squadron Royal Logistics Corps (Volunteers),
Glenrothes. Employers include WBB Devon Clays Ltd – Devon, Initial Distribution –
Manchester, Ministry of Defence and Parcel Distributors.

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