More than 11,000 troops currently based in Germany will return to Britain within three years as part of a major restructuring of the army that will require ministers to spend £1bn on new military homes.
The announcement on Tuesday marks a sharp acceleration of the withdrawal of British forces in Germany, which have been stationed there since the end of the second world war.
However, Philip Hammond, the defence secretary, will provoke anger by announcing to MPs the closure of some smaller UK military bases, so the army can rebuild itself around seven major regional hubs.
The Scottish National party (SNP) will also be angered that only 600 of the soldiers returning will be stationed north of the border. That is a 20% increase on current numbers, but the SNP had hoped for thousands more.
The announcement should set out in detail how the army will manage the historic drawdown from Germany, where the British still have bases in 11 garrison towns, including Bielefeld and Paderborn.
Read more: UK to withdraw 11,000 troops from Germany by 2016 | UK news | The Guardian
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