British forces in Iraq are to be reduced by around 800 to just over 7,000 personnel from May, the Secretary of Defence John Reid announced today.
Mr Reid told the Commons the cut in troops followed growth in the Iraqi security forces to around 235,000. But he stressed it did not mark the handover to the Iraqis of security responsibility at an operational level.
"We will stay as long as we are needed, and wanted, and until the job is done," he pledged.
Mr Reid insisted it was not the start of the handover of security responsibility to Iraq. And he was adamant the withdrawal had not been prompted by spiralling violence.
The move means one in ten British troops will be withdrawn.
British Secretary of Defence John Reid
It marks a reduction from the high point of 10,000 British troops in Iraq in October 2003 to just over 7,000 now.
Mr Reid said there were now 235,000 members of the Iraqi security forces equipped and trained, with 5,000 more signing up every month.
In the Iraqi Army alone there are now more than 110 operational combat battalions engaged in counter insurgency operations.
Mr Reid said of those 59 were assessed as being, "in the lead" or capable of independent operations.
Mr Reid said: "Let me stress that the reductions I have announced are not part of a handover of security responsibility. They are not caused by, nor a cause of, changes in troop levels of other coalition allies.
"In the next few weeks the joint committee to transfer security responsibility will start the assessment phase to look at whether conditions have been met for some provinces to begin the handover process."