The Prime Minister has just announced the results of the Strategic Defence Review and has confirmed that the Gurkhas are not affected by the savings being made in the Defence budget.
This is excellent news and means that the Gurkhas will continue to provide their important and unique service as part of the British army of which we are all proud.
In the chamber of the House of Commons David Cameron has confirmed that there will be no losses of infantry regiments as a result of the review and that any reductions in manpower for the army will be made away from the front line.
Members of the Royal Gurkhas Rifles currently on duty in Afghanistan will also have been pleased to hear David Cameron's committment that 'there is no cut whatsoever in the support for our forces in Afghanistan'.
In addition the defence review maintains our committment to the training base in Brunei where the Gurkhas are also stationed.
Overall the defence review takes a long term strategic view of our national security needs in the years ahead. After the review, it is expected that Britain will still have the fourth largest defence budget in the world, and that we will be able to maintain our obligations at home and around the globe; defending our freedom and supporting our values. This includes a committment to maintain Trident as our independent nuclear deterent, and to upgrade the system with a new generation of submarines in the 2020s. A decision I wholeheartedly support.