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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Army regiments currently deployed in Northern Ireland, indicating (a) the numbers attached to each and (b) the estimated duration of their tour of duty; and if he will make a statement on planned deployment during the next 12 months. [101867] Mr. Spellar: The British Army General Service Infantry Battalions currently deployed in Northern Ireland are listed in the table, along with their strength and tour length: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Unit Strength Length of Tour The 1{st} Battalion the Scots Guards 604 2 years--until April 2000 The 1{st} Battalion the Royal Welsh 608 2 years--until August 2000 Fusiliers The 1{st} Battalion the Royal Anglian 595 2 years--until May 2001 Regiment The 1{st} Battalion the Worcestershire and 639 2 years--until December 2001 Sherwood Foresters Regiment The 1{st} Battalion The Royal Green Jackets 590 2 years--until March 2001 The 1{st} Battalion the Coldstream Guards 531 6 months--until March 2000 The 1{st} Battalion the Grenadier Guards 500 6 months--until December 1999 The 1{st} Battalion the Prince of Wales's 443 6 months--until May 2000 Own Regiment of Yorkshire _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Apart from one company of The 1{st} Battalion The King's Regiment, the following are fully committed to Northern Ireland under control of the GOC but are not currently deployed to the Province. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Unit Strength Length of Tour The 1{st} Battalion the King's Regiment 579 2 years--until April 2001 12 Regiment Royal Artillery 335 6 months--until April 2000 The 2{nd} Battalion The Light Infantry 335 6 months--until December 1999 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery 425 6 months--until January 2000 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Note: Figures as at 3 December 1999 In addition there are six Home Service Battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment, totalling 4,377 soldiers, comprising both full-time and part-time members, which are wholly committed to service to Northern Ireland, but not shown in the above table. Details of future deployments to the Province are being withheld under exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

341 c218-20W;341 c218-9W; 101867

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Armed forces Deployment Northern Ireland Staff

Contains statistics

Yes