---

ILO Convention

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of Article 3 (d) of the new ILO convention on child labour on his Department's employment and deployment practices; and if he will make a statement. [96014]

Mr. Spellar: The new ILO Convention 182 explicitly mentions the "forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict" at Article 3(a). Article 3(d) therefore has no application to military service in the UK. The recruitment practices referred to in ILO Convention 182 are an unacceptable form of child labour. The recruitment of genuine volunteers, as for example undertaken in the UK, is entirely different from the abusive, exploitative, forced or coercive involvement of children in armed conflict as members of militia or para-military forces around the world.

Military Personnel

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of serving military personnel in (a) the Army, (b) the Navy and (c) the RAF are (i) single, (ii) married without children, (iii) married with children, (iv) divorced without children and (v) divorced with children. [95959]

2 Nov 1999 : Column: 92

Mr. Spellar: Due to differences in the data held by the services, the answer has been split by office and servicemen/women.

As at 1 October, the latest date for which figures are available, the percentages are:

Percentage

	Naval Service	Army	RAF
Officers
Single	31.8	35.1	24.2
Married without children	15.4	(2)63.4	(3)73.7
Married with children	49.8
Divorced without children	0.3	(2)1.4	1.2
Divorced with children	2.5		0.9
Servicemen/Women
Single	48.6	50.9	34.3
Married without children	19.0	14.5	(3)61.7
Married with children	26.7	31.7
Divorced without children	1.1	1.3	2.3
Divorced with children	3.9	1.6	1.6

(2) The Army do not hold data on dependants of officers

(3) The RAF do not hold data on dependants of married personnel

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the number of military personnel stationed at each base, both in the United Kingdom and abroad, of (a) the Army, (b) the Navy and (c) the RAF; which of these bases have an officer in charge of families; and what recreational, social, medical and educational facilities are available at each base for forces families; [95960]

(2) if he will list the organisations dedicated to service family welfare and support for (a) the Army, (b) the Navy and (c) the RAF; which of the organisations received MOD funding in each year between and including 1989 and the current financial year, indicating the amounts received; and what proportion of the organisations' budget this represented. [95962]

Mr. Spellar: I will write to the right hon. and learned Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of military personnel leaving (a) the Army, (b) the Navy and (c) the RAF for reasons of (i) premature voluntary release, (ii) redundancy, (iii) retirement and (iv) other, for each year between and including 1989 and the current financial year indicating what percentage of each category were (1) single, (2) married without children, (3) married with children, (4) divorced without children and (5) divorced with children. [95961]

Mr. Spellar: The available information is contained in the tables:

2 Nov 1999 : Column: 91

Naval Service (4) outflow by type of outflow and marital status--all ranks 1989-90 to 1999-2000

	PVR (5)	Redundancy	Retirement	Other	Total
1989-90
Total Outflow	4,578	3	1,143	2,278	8,002
Single(6)	57.2%	--	7.6%	79.2%	56.4%
Married	39.7%	66.7%	85.5%	18.8%	40.3%
Divorced/Separated(7)	3.1%	33.3%	6.9%	2.0%	3.3%
1990-91
Total Outflow	4,855	(9)--	993	2,227	8,075
Single(6)	58.2%	(9)--	7.5%	80.6%	58.2%
Married	38.6%	(9)--	86.5%	17.7%	38.7%
Divorced/Separated(7)	3.2%	(9)--	6.0%	1.6%	3.1%
1991-92
Total Outflow	3,649	(9)--	948	2,129	6,726
Single(6)	64.7%	(9)--	7.7%	82.2%	62.2%
Married	32.1%	(9)--	83.8%	16.2%	34.3%
Divorced/Separated(7)	3.2%	(9)--	8.5%	1.7%	3.5%
1992-93
Total Outflow	1,898	380	1,110	1,730	5,118
Single(6)	64.2%	11.3%	8.7%	78.4%	53.0%
Married	32.3%	80.5%	82.6%	19.8%	42.6%
Divorced/Separated(7)	3.4%	8.2%	8.6%	1.8%	4.4%
1993-94
Total Outflow	1,417	1,253	1,119	1,239	5,028
Single(6)	71.5%	18.4%	9.6%	73.0%	44.8%
Married	25.6%	72.9%	82.1%	23.9%	49.5%
Divorced/Separated(7)	2.9%	8.7%	8.3%	3.1%	5.6%
1994-95
Total Outflow	1,192	2,351	1,315	1,202	6,060
Single(6)	69.5%	43.3%	8.5%	70.0%	46.2%
Married	27.8%	50.0%	82.5%	27.1%	48.2%
Divorced/Separated(7)	2.7%	6.7%	9.0%	2.8%	5.6%
1995-96
Total Outflow	1,634	522	1,443	1,229	4,828
Single(6)	70.9%	34.9%	9.6%	68.3%	48.0%
Married	25.6%	57.1%	81.2%	28.2%	46.3%
Divorced/Separated(7)	3.5%	8.0%	9.1%	3.6%	5.7%
1996-97
Total Outflow	2,347	1,836	1,444	1,490	7,117
Single(6)	75.1%	41.1%	9.0%	73.3%	52.5%
Married	22.8%	52.6%	81.3%	23.3%	42.5%
Divorced/Separated(7)	2.1%	6.3%	9.7%	3.4%	5.0%
1997-98
Total Outflow	2,427	(9)--	1,428	1,415	5,270
Single(6)	72.2%	(9)--	9.8%	71.4%	55.1%
Married	25.1%	(9)--	80.9%	24.5%	40.1%
Divorced/Separated(7)	2.7%	(9)--	9.3%	4.0%	4.8%
1998-99
Total Outflow	2,514	(9)--	1,415	1,694	5,623
Single(6)	70.7%	(9)--	9.6%	73.9%	56.3%
Married	26.5%	(9)--	81.2%	21.8%	38.8%
Divorced/Separated(7)	2.8%	(9)--	9.2%	%4.3	4.9%
1999-2000 (8)
Total Outflow	1,279	(9)--	703	940	2,922
Single(6)	68.3%	(9)--	8.8%	76.4%	56.6%
Married	29.0%	(9)--	78.8%	19.3%	37.9%
Divorced/Separated(7)	2.7%	(9)--	12.4%	4.4%	5.6%

(4) Data comprises Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

(5) PVR stands for Premature Voluntary Release.

(6) 'Single' comprises single and widowed personnel.

(7) It is not possible to separate divorced from separated Naval personnel using the information available.

(8) 1999-2000 data are those currently available for this financial year, i.e. 1 April 1999 to 30 September 1999

(9) indicates zero.

Note:

Percentages are rounded to one decimal place, so totals may not equal exactly 100 per cent.

Source:

DASA (Tri-Service)

2 Nov 1999 : Column: 93

Army Outflow by type of outflow and marital status--other ranks 1993-94 to 1999-2000

	PVR (10)	Redundancy	Retirement	Other	Total
1993-94
Total Outflow	5,590	5,131	3,040	4,890	18,651
Single(11)	60.0%	8.6%	6.4%	88.4%	44.6%
Married without children	19.8%	10.6%	6.3%	4.6%	11.1%
Married with children	18.1%	74.7%	81.9%	6.3%	41.0%
Divorced without children	0.8%	1.9%	1.0%	0.3%	1.0%
Divorced with children	1.2%	4.2%	4.4%	0.4%	2.3%
1994-95
Total Outflow	6,392	6,171	2,470	4,909	19,942
Single(11)	58.4%	18.3%	7.2%	88.5%	47.1%
Married without children	18.5%	16.8%	6.5%	4.2%	12.9%
Married with children	20.6%	59.6%	81.1%	6.6%	36.7%
Divorced without children	1.2%	1.8%	1.0%	0.4%	1.1%
Divorced with children	1.3%	3.5%	4.3%	0.4%	2.1%
1995-96
Total Outflow	6,528	103	2,229	5,294	14,154
Single(11)	57.2%	34.0%	13.6%	86.5%	61.1%
Married without children	19.1%	14.6%	8.8%	5.2%	12.2%
Married with children	21.3%	48.5%	71.8%	7.7%	24.3%
Divorced without children	1.0%	1.0%	1.6%	0.3%	0.8%
Divorced with children	1.4%	1.9%	4.2%	0.4%	1.5%
1996-97
Total Outflow	5,857	112	1,769	6,521	14,259
Single(11)	55.1%	16.1%	17.1%	86.7%	64.5%
Married without children	19.7%	26.8%	8.5%	5.0%	11.6%
Married with children	22.2%	50.9%	68.6%	7.4%	21.4%
Divorced without children	1.7%	5.4%	2.4%	0.4%	1.2%
Divorced with children	1.3%	0.9%	3.3%	0.5%	1.2%
1997-98
Total Outflow	5,767	(13)--	1,571	6,010	13,348
Single(11)	51.2%	(13)--	11.0%	85.7%	62.0%
Married without children	20.0%	(13)--	8.9%	5.1%	12.0%
Married with children	25.4%	(13)--	74.1%	8.4%	23.5%
Divorced without children	1.7%	(13)--	2.2%	0.5%	1.2%
Divorced with children	1.7%	(13)--	3.8%	0.4%	1.4%
1998-99
Total Outflow	5,965	1	1,720	7,976	15,662
Single(11)	50.2%	(13)--	13.6%	90.0%	66.5%
Married without children	20.1%	100.0%	9.9%	3.4%	10.5%
Married with children	26.4%	(13)--	68.7%	5.9%	20.6%
Divorced without children	1.4%	(13)--	3.1%	0.4%	1.1%
Divorced with children	1.8%	(13)--	4.7%	0.4%	1.4%
1999-2000 (12)
Total Outflow	2,581	(13)--	879	3,719	7,179
Single(11)	52.2%	(13)--	8.5%	90.3%	66.6%
Married without children	19.2%	(13)--	9.4%	3.6%	9.9%
Married with children	24.8%	(13)--	75.0%	5.3%	20.8%
Divorced without children	1.8%	(13)--	2.0%	0.4%	1.1%
Divorced with children	2.1%	(13)--	5.0%	0.3%	1.5%

(10) PVR stands for Premature Voluntary Release.

(11) 'Single' comprises single and widowed personnel.

(12) 1999-2000 data are those currently available for this financial year, i.e. 1 April 1999 to 30 September 1999.

(13) indicates zero.

Note:

Percentages are rounded to one decimal place, so totals may not equal exactly 100 per cent.

Source:

DASA (Tri-Service)

2 Nov 1999 : Column: 95

2 Nov 1999 : Column: 95

Royal Air Force outflows by type of outflow and marital status--other ranks 1993-94 to 1999-2000

	PVR (14)	Redundancy	Retirement (15)	Other	Total
1993-94
Total Outflow	1,285	908	2,161	513	4,867
Single(16)	33.8%	5.0%	21.2%	59.6%	25.5%
Married(17)	63.3%	89.6%	74.6%	38.6%	70.6%
Divorced(18) without children	2.0%	2.6%	2.1%	1.8%	2.2%
Divorced(18) with children	0.9%	2.8%	2.1%	(20)--	1.7%
1994-95
Total Outflow	1,443	1,416	1,620	522	5,001
Single(16)	35.0%	7.3%	22.2%	56.5%	25.3%
Married(17)	60.7%	87.2%	74.0%	40.4%	70.4%
Divorced(18) without children	3.0%	2.5%	2.0%	1.3%	2.4%
Divorced(18) with children	1.2%	3.0%	1.9%	1.7%	2.0%
1995-96
Total Outflow	1,856	2,380	2,352	694	7,282
Single(16)	35.9%	17.9%	25.0%	62.4%	29.0%
Married(17)	61.3%	75.9%	70.4%	34.1%	66.4%
Divorced(18) without children	1.9%	3.4%	3.2%	2.0%	2.9%
Divorced with children	0.9%	2.8%	1.4%	1.4%	1.7%
1996-97
Total Outflow	1,565	4,625	2,260	694	9,144
Single(16)	35.7%	14.5%	26.9%	63.7%	24.9%
Married(17)	60.0%	79.6%	68.2%	34.0%	70.0%
Divorced(18) without children	2.5%	3.3%	2.7%	1.6%	2.9%
Divorced(18) with children	1.9%	2.6%	2.1%	0.7%	2.2%
1997-98
Total Outflow	1,617	4	1,630	728	3,979
Single(16)	37.3%	25.0%	23.7%	64.1%	36.6%
Married(17)	59.0%	50.0%	71.0%	33.5%	59.3%
Divorced(18) without children	2.7%	25.0%	3.3%	0.4%	2.5%
Divorced(18) with children	1.1%	(20)--	2.0%	1.9%	1.6%
1998-99
Total Outflow	1,829	(20)--	1,594	807	4,230
Single(16)	34.3%	(20)--	23.0%	75.6%	37.9%
Married(17)	61.5%	(20)--	71.4%	22.6%	57.8%
Divorced(18) without children	2.8%	(20)--	3.2%	0.7%	2.6%
Divorced(18) with children	1.4%	(20)--	2.4%	1.1%	1.7%
1999-2000
Total Outflow	1,017	(20)--	670	410	2,097
Single(16)	32.7%	(20)--	19.0%	75.9%	36.8%
Married(17)	62.6%	(20)--	75.5%	23.2%	59.0%
Divorced(18) without children	2.6%	(20)--	2.7%	0.7%	2.2%
Divorced(18) with children	2.1%	(20)--	2.8%	0.2%	2.0%

(14) PVR stands for Premature Voluntary Release.

(15) Retirement comprises all service personnel reaching the end of their engagement (i.e. Those at age 55 or 47, or those completing 22, 15, 12 and 9 year engagements).

(16) 'Single' comprises single and widowed personnel.

(17) 'Married' comprises married, legally separated, divorce nisi and estranged/mutually separated.

(18) 'Divorced' comprises divorce absolute. 'Divorced with children' only includes those who are supporting children; there may be personnel with children who have either finished full time education or who are over 18 included in 'Divorced without children'.

(19) 1999-2000 data are those currently available for this financial year, i.e. 1 April 1999 to 30 September 1999.

(20) Indicates zero.

Note:

Percentages are rounded to one decimal place, so totals may not equal exactly 100 per cent.

Source:

DASA (Tri-Service)

2 Nov 1999 : Column: 97

2 Nov 1999 : Column: 97

---