The British military presence will be scaled down further because of the improving security situation in Northern Ireland, it was announced yesterday.
On Tuesday the Independent Monitoring Commission quoting figures for May this year reported there were about 15,000 troops based in Northern Ireland, but by September that figure should have dropped to about 12,700.
The reduction of more than 2,000 British army, navy and air force personnel due to the improving security situation means the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) does not require the same military back-up, according to the British army chief in Northern Ireland.
Of the 12,700 to be deployed to Northern Ireland in September, at least 900 and possibly 1,800 of them will be rear-based, that is based outside the North, but available to be deployed here if the security situation demands.
This means that, come September, British military personnel in Northern Ireland could be 10,900 to 11,800. With the full establishment of the peace process, the target is 5,000 troops garrisoned in Northern Ireland.
Lieut Gen Sir Philip Trousdell said yesterday that two infantry battalions assigned to Northern Ireland, but based in Britain, would be released for other tasks in September.
They are the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment based in Colchester, Essex and the 1st Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment based at Fort George, Inverness.
This move follows a similar transfer last week of the 1st Battalion, the Devon and Dorset Regiment based in Catterick, North Yorkshire and the Queen's Dragoon Guards based in Osnabruck in Germany.
In addition, the British ministry of defence yesterday announced that the Royal Navy would withdraw from service by April 2007 three patrol vessels - HMS Brecon, HMS Cottesmore and HMS Dulverton - which have operated along the North's coastline since 1998. This will effectively end the Royal Navy's involvement in Northern Ireland.
Sinn Féin Assembly member Mr Alex Maskey said it was an "insult to intelligence" to suggest there was a real reduction in the military presence in Northern Ireland as the battalions transferred from the command of Lieut Gen Trousdell were not physically based there.
The Ulster Unionist MP Mr David Burnside, in the House of Commons where the British defence minister Mr Geoffrey Hoon announced a series of sweeping defence cuts, accused the minister of taking a dangerous decision in reducing military strength in the North.
