THE Minister for the Armed Forces has defended Government plans to scrap the Duke of Wellington's Regiment in a letter to the Examiner.

MP Adam Ingram wrote in response to the 305 petition slips sent to Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon by Examiner readers.

It was announced in July that a massive shake-up of the armed forces could mean the 302-year-old Duke of Wellington's Regiment would merge with other Yorkshire regiments.

This brought a massive outcry from veterans of the regiment which recruits heavily from Huddersfield.

In his letter Mr Ingram says that although he is aware the changes have caused concern they are for the best.

The main points of his letter are:

* Arms plotting, which is the moving of battalions between roles and locations every few years, is to stop.

* This change to the Army means a new infantry structure is needed.

* The improved security situation in Northern Ireland means there are fewer military tasks to be undertaken by the Army.

* Any manpower released from the reduction of infantry battalions will not disappear but be reinvested back into other areas.

* Changes to the structure of the infantry does not mean history and traditions will be lost.

But Major David Harrop, based at the Duke of Wellington's Regiment's headquarters in Halifax, believes the traditions and history will be lost.

"It is inevitable that the great history of the Dukes will be diluted," he said.

"We are trying to get one of the battalions that will make up the proposed Yorkshire Regiment to be called the Duke of Wellington's. That is what the local people want and that is what we want.

"The support we have had from the public has been brilliant and it has helped our cause as well in trying to make sure the name of the Dukes lives on in some way.

"For communities the local regiment is the face of the Army. In my opinion that link between the public and the armed forces will be lost by this restructure."

A final announcement on the future of the Dukes is expected in early December.