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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.

Armed Forces: Manpower

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) required, (b) actual and (c) fit for task strength is of each pinch point trade in the Armed Forces.
Answer

The following table shows the liability, strength and shortfalls, in real numbers and percentage figures, from the single-Service Quarter 1 (June 2008) Pinch Point Registers. The 'Fit for Task' strengths are not routinely recorded and the cost of doing so in this instance would be disproportionably high for the Department.

Shortfall
Liability Strength Number Percentage
Royal Navy
Operational Pinch Point Trades
Lt X SM Advanced Warfare Course Qualified 75 68 7 8
RN Harrier GR7 Instructors 7 3 4 57
GR7 Harrier Pilots—Lt 35 18 17 48
Merlin Pilots 112 68 44 39
Merlin Observers 116 63 53 46
Merlin Aircrewmen 102 80 22 22
Leading Seaman General Warfare 1,108 649 459 41
Strategic Weapons Systems Junior Ranks 110 84 26 24
Able Rate Warfare Specialist (Sensors Submariner) 173 134 39 22
Able Rate Warfare Specialist (Tactical Submariner) 121 96 25 21
Able Rate Diver 136 95 41 30
Able Rate 1 Seaman 351 297 54 15
Able Rate 1 Warfare Specialist 754 673 181 24
Able Rate 1 Communications and Information Systems 375 327 48 13
Leading Aircraft Controllers 75 42 33 44
Royal Marines Other Ranks 6,525 6,003 522 8
Sea-King and Lynx Avionics Supervisors 348 284 64 18
Cat A Nuclear Watchkeepers 217 164 53 24
Petty Officer Mine Warfare 56 41 15 27
Cat B Nuclear Watchkeepers 417 340 77 18
Army
Operational Pinch Point Trades
Infantryman Pte-LCpl 14,615 12,968 1,647 11
REME Vehicle Mechanic Pte-Cpl 3,625 3,132 493 14
REME Armourer Pte-Cpl 397 317 80 20
REME Recovery Mechanic LCpl-Cpl 344 216 128 37
Intelligence Operator—Military Intelligence Cpl-Sgt 690 462 228 33
RE Clerk of Works SSgt-WOl 245 246 +1 -0.4
REE OD Cpl-Sgt 222 95 127 57
RA Gunner LBdr-Bdr 5,048 4,330 718 14
RLC Ammo Tech Cpl-SSgt 285 157 128 45
Army
Manning Pinch Point Trades
AMS ITU Nurse Cpl-Capt 121 35 86 71
AMS Emergency Medicine Nurse Cpl-Capt 101 38 63 62
AMS Radiologist Maj 4 1 3 75
AMS Orthopaedic Surg Maj+ 13 7 6 46
AMS Gen Surg Maj+ 17 10 7 41
AMS Anaesthetist Maj+ 49 26 23 53
AMS Gen Med Prac Capt+ 153 137 16 10
AMS Radiographer Cpl+ 24 10 14 58
AMS Registered General Nurse 293 263 30 10
AMS Operation Department Practitioner Cpl+ 95 82 13 14
RA Unmanned Ariel Vehicle Operator (Level 4) LBdr-Bdr 280 237 43 15
RE Mil Engr Geo Spr-W02 332 292 40 12
RE Mil Engr C3S Spr-LCpl 704 593 111 16
RLC Postal and Courier Op Pte-Cpl 433 350 83 19
RLC Chef Pte-LCpl 1,459 1,366 93 6
RSigs IS Engr Cpl-Sgt 237 202 35 15
AGC(SPS) Mil Admin Pte-Sgt 2,610 2,302 308 12
CAMUS Musician 300 231 69 23
RE ME Fitter Spr-LCpl 549 395 154 28
Royal Air Force
Operational Pinch Point Trades
Medical 274 218 56 20
Pilot (Junior Officer) 1,500 1,284 216 14
Flying Branch(Career Stream) (Senior Officer) 725 685 40 5
Operations Support (Intelligence) 230 230 0 0
Operations Support (Regiment) 263 241 22 8
Operations Support (Flight Operations) 212 202 10 5
Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service 177 132 45 25
Weapons System Operator (Air Load Master) 541 453 88 16
Weapons System Operator (Linguist) 66 50 16 24
Air Traffic Controller (ATC) / Flight Operations Manager (FOM)/Flight Operations Assistant (FOA) 1,257 1,213 44 3
Firefighter 545 480 65 12
Gunner 1,792 1,596 196 11
Movements Operator/Controller 866 850 16 2
Military Transport Technician 330 121 19 5
Royal Air Force
Manning Pinch Point Trades
Administration (Training) 228 205 23 10
Chaplains 78 64 14 18
Medical Support 90 78 12 13
Operations Support (Fighter Control) 341 295 46 13
Operations Support (Air Traffic Control) 424 375 49 12
Dental 68 61 7 10
Intelligence Analyst (Communications) 282 229 53 19
Intelligence Analyst (Imagery) 404 361 43 11
Environmental Health Technician 47 37 10 21
Radiographer 11 10 1 9
Mess Manager/Steward 491 445 46 9
Musician 172 153 19 11
Royal Air Force Physical Training Instructor (PTI) 509 480 29 6
SEFitt 614 589 25 4
Staff Nurse (RMN) 30 25 5 17
Lab Tech 15 10 5 33
Med Asst/Admin 587 611 +24 +4
DentHyg 21 18 3 14
Dent Admin/Nurse 134 123 11 8
Pers Admin 1,494 1,432 62 4
Supplier 1,838 1,841 +3 +0.2
MTD 1,111 1,021 90 8
Note:
All percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
481 c122-6W; 226983
Session
2007-08
Subjects
Armed forces Staff
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk