Trouble is - we cannot get anymore people in the corps. The Army's manning is capped at 101,800 and will not increase in the slightest. The Corps has been forced to find savings at 1st and 2nd line, and has had to make some really tough decisions on how best to use the remaining manpower. The words Medium Term Workstrands (MTWS) and the like are banded around the corridors with incredibly frequency.
As a die hard opponent of Rebalancing 1, I know that most in the Corps would find the prospect of further rebalancing a real zesty lemon to suck. However, given the pre-disposition of BG COs to use REME manpower in the HQ for every jiff job going, I know that those posts are best used at 2nd line, where at least they'll be targetted to where they are needed.
As for ISTs, they are still an integral component of how we deliver on ops, however, not aimed at "in mission" effect - that will still be the preserve of the fitter sections. Quite how you do that in Bell End province? Answers on a post card - not the fag packet our lords and master keep deploying the army on!