asked the Minister for Defence whether he will consider changing the status of a sergeant (name supplied) from that of combatant to non-combatant in line with other musical instructors in the armed forces.
Written Answers. - Army Musical Instructor.
99.
The sergeant in question, like all Army pipers, was trained as a soldier with a combat unit prior to his present employment in the Army School of Music and is, therefore, liable to perform regimental and barrack duties.
Members of the Army brass and reed bands and instructors of these bands, on the other hand, are recruited directly to the Army School of Music and are not trained in the use of weapons. Consequently they could not be employed on regimental or barrack duties.