GWENT politicians are calling on the UK armed forces minister to fully reverse a decision to cut Territorial Army funding.

Last week the Argus reported how Monmouth MP David Davies wrote to armed forces minister Bill Rammell asking for assurances that the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers, who are due to be deployed to Afghanistant next year, would be exempt from the £20million funding cut.

The planned cuts would have seen all routine training suspended for the rest of the financial year.

On Monday Mr Rammell told the House of Commons that a "small adjustment" of £2.5 million to enable TA soliders to attend one drill night a month.

Mr Davies said the cuts were "morally reprehensible" and demanded that the full £20million is reinstated.

He said: "This has made me more angry than anything this Labour Government has done since 1997.

"Drill sessions are so important for training, gelling and bonding. People join up these days knowing they will end up in a warzone and will put their lives on the line. This is a slap in the face to them."

Mr Davies, who was a gunner in the 104 Air Defence Regiment in Newport in the 1980s, called the partial climbdown an insult.

The reduction is part of a cost-cutting plan intended to save £54 million from the overall Army budget.

Mr Rammell said the cuts were "disappointing’’ but said they were necessary to ensure resources were concentrated on operations in Afghanistan.

He said that all TA soldiers being deployed in Afghanistan would still receive their full, pre-deployment training.

South East Wales AM Jocelyn Davies said: "I am pleased that the Westminster Government have seen some sense over this issue. They should acknowledge that they value the contribution the TA makes to our armed services. Their contribution to the overall situation far outweighs their cost."

Mr Davies will speak at an opposition day debate to budget cuts today.