Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Julian Brazier (Conservative) on Thursday, 3 April 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 21 April 2008. It was answered by Bob Ainsworth (Labour) on Monday, 21 April 2008 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Reserve Forces

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the Answer of 24 July 2006, Official Report, columns 782-90W, on reserve forces, what the (a) actual strength and (b) unit establishment of (i) men and (ii) women (A) officers and (B) other ranks was in each of the reserve forces, broken down by (1) the Territorial Army by arm and corps and (2) (x) the Royal Navy Reserve and (y) the Royal Auxiliary Air Force by functional category in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Answer

A detailed breakdown of Territorial Army Liability figures by Arm Service is not available, as the figures are not captured in this way. However, the overall Territorial Army liability as at 1 March 2007 was 42,000 which included 3,500 Officer Training Corps.A breakdown of the Territorial Army by Arm Service, officer/other ranks and gender can be found in the 1 March 2007 Army Monthly Manning Report, Section G, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.Reliable information on Royal Navy Reserve functional categories is not held centrally and cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost. The following table shows the strength of the Royal Naval Reserve by unit, officer/rating and gender as at 31 March 2008. The total Royal Naval Reserve requirement as at 31 March 2008 was 2,280.

Officers Ratings
Unit Female Male Female Male Unit total
HMS Calliope — 30 20 60 110
HMS Cambria 10 20 20 50 100
HMS Caroline 10 20 20 50 90
HMS Dalriada 10 20 10 40 80
HMS Eaglet 20 50 20 90 180
HMS Ferret 10 50 — — 70
HMS Flying Fox — 30 10 40 90
HMS Forward 10 30 20 40 100
HMS King Alfred 10 90 30 70 210
HMS President 30 80 30 90 230
HMS Scotia 10 30 20 60 120
HMS Sherwood — 40 20 60 120
HMS Vivid 20 20 30 70 140
HMS Wildfire 20 30 20 20 80
Air branch 10 160 10 160 330
MW CD — — — — —
Media relations 30 40 — — 70
Total 190 730 280 920 2,120

The following table shows the strength of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force by branch/trade, officer/other ranks and gender as at 1 February 2008.

Officers Other ranks
Branch/trade Female Male Female Male Total
Other — — — 10 20
Aircraft Engineering — — — — —
Avionics — — — — —
Communications and Information Systems — — — — —
General Engineering — — — 20 20
Mechanical Transport — — — 30 40
Security — — 20 580 600
Air Traffic Control — — 20 50 70
General Service — — 20 40 60
Telecommunications — — — 10 10
Safety and Surface — — — — —
Photography — — — 40 40
Medical — — 50 50 100
Accounting and Secretarial — — 20 20 40
Supply and Movements — — 30 140 170
Catering — — — 20 20
General Duties — — — — —
General Duties (Pilot) — 20 — — 20
General Duties (Navigator) — 10 — — 10
Medical 10 40 — — 50
Flying Branch — — — — —
Administrative (Secretarial) 10 30 — — 40
Engineer — — — — —
General Duties (Air Loadmaster) — — — — —
Medical Officer — 10 — — 10
Medical Support — — — — —
Non Commissioned Aircrew and Weapons — — — 20 20
Operations Support (Air Traffic Control) — — — — —
Operations Support (Fighter Control) — — — — —
Operations Support (Flight Operations) — 20 — — 30
Operations Support (Intelligence) — 20 — — 30
Operations Support (Provost Security) — — — — —
Operations Support (Regiment) — 20 — — 20
Princess Mary’s RAF Nursing Service — — — — —
Supply — 10 — — 10
Army Air Corps — — — — —
Total 40 190 180 1,040 1,460

The following table shows the establishment of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force by unit as at 1 January 2008.

Unit Establishment
1359 Flt (HRA) 30
501 Sqn—OPS SPT(STO) 120
504 Sqn—OPS SPT(STO) 120
600 Sqn—HQ support 140
603 Sqn—OPS SPT(STO) 120
606 Sqn—Helicopter support 160
609 Sqn—OPS SPT(STO) 120
612 Sqn—Air Transportable Surgical Sqn 70
2503 Sqn—RAF Regiment Field Sqn Support 110
2620 Sqn—OPS SPT(STO) 110
2622 Sqn—RAF Regiment Field Sqn Support 110
2623 Sqn—Joint NEC Regiment Ops 70
4624 Sqn—Movements 270
4626 Sqn—Aeromedical evacuation 160
7006 (VR) Sqn—Intelligence 80
7010 (VR) Sqn—Photographic Interpretation 60
7630 (VR) Sqn—Intelligence 30
7644 (VR) Sqn—Public Relations 20
3 (RAuxAF) Sqn Tactical Provost Wing 50
Total 1,960

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
474 c1664-6W; 199821
Session
2007-08
Subjects
Staff Reserve forces
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk