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Written question asked by Liam Fox (Conservative) on Thursday, 9 October 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 October 2008. It was answered by Bob Ainsworth (Labour) on Monday, 20 October 2008 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Army: Manpower

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) required, (b) actual and (c) fit for task strength of each battalion of the infantry is.
Answer

The figures requested are shown in the following tables.The figures in both tables include personnel filling all roles within each battalion, not just infantrymen. Fit for task has been defined as fully deployable, and thus excludes those who may be fit to perform rear party duty.This answer differs to the one I gave to the hon. Member on 19 June 2008, Official Report, column 1091W, primarily because the figures also take account of personnel listed as being of limited deployability or non-deployable for non-medical reasons.

Div Unit Required strength Actual strength Fit for task strength
Guards 1 Grenadier Guards 580 491 410
1 Coldstream Gds 627 563 491
1 Scots Guards 760 595 485
1 Irish Guards 636 570 419
1 Welsh Guards 631 588 515
Scots 1 Scots 633 628 507
2 Scots 566 449 405
3 Scots 535 470 348
4 Scots 760 642 448
5 Scots 654 560 448
Queens 1 Princess of Wales Royal Regiment 760 658 549
2 Princess of Wales Royal Regiment 625 538 478
1 Royal Regt Fusiliers 753 649 580
2 Royal Regt Fusiliers 623 530 457
1 Royal Anglian 670 691 518
2 Royal Anglian 627 629 511
Kings 1 Lancs 741 666 566
2 Lancs 664 737 669
1 Yorks 633 541 505
2 Yorks 627 501 423
3 Yorks 684 547 421
PoW 1 Mercian 627 513 417
2 Mercian 620 555 477
3 Mercian 690 564 402
1 Royal Welsh 625 545 453
2 Royal Welsh 756 647 475
Rifles 2 Rifles 615 584 484
3 Rifles 625 602 556
4 Rifles 702 684 528
5 Rifles 760 700 553
RI 1 Royal Irish 654 516 414
Para 2 Para 654 646 585
3 Para 654 607 566
RGR 1 Royal Gurkha Rifles 643 759 586
2 Royal Gurkha Rifles 822 913 831

In addition to the battalions shown above there are three incremental Guards companies which are primarily for public duties but which can also be used to augment the other Guards battalions as required;

Unit Required strength Actual strength Fit for task strength
N Coy Grenadier Gds 108 111 93
7 Coy Coldstream Gds 108 105 90
F Coy Scots Guards 108 127 107

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
481 c128-9W; 226906
Session
2007-08
Subjects
Army Staff
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk