28 Apr 2004 : Column 991W

Written Answers to Questions

Wednesday 28 April 2004

DEFENCE

Armed Forces Personnel

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) males and (b) females are employed in the (i) Army, (ii) Royal Air Force and (iii) Royal Navy as (A) commissioned officers, (B) non-commissioned officers and (C) other ranks. [168620]

Mr. Caplin: The strengths of male and female commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks in each service as at 1 January 2004 are shown below:

Naval Service⁽¹⁾ Army Royal Air Force

Males

Commissioned officers⁽²⁾ 7,110 12,420 9,600

Non-commissioned officers⁽³⁾ 16,940 51,470 20,860

Other⁽⁴⁾ 13,240 39,700 16,610

Total 37,280 103,600 47,070

Females

Commissioned officers⁽²⁾ 620 1,370 1,330

Non-commissioned officers⁽³⁾ 1,120 3,950 1,800

Other⁽⁴⁾ 1,960 2,980 3,020

Total 3,700 8,310 6,150

⁽¹⁾ Naval Service includes Royal Navy and Royal Marines.
⁽²⁾ Commissioned officers include officers designate and above in the Naval Service and Royal Air Force. In the Army, commissioned officers include 2nd Lieutenant and above. As at 1 January 2004, there were an additional 660 male officers designate and 140 female officers designate in the Army, who are excluded from the table above.
⁽³⁾ Non-commissioned officers includes junior non-commissioned officers; that is, ranks of Leading Rate and above in the Royal Navy, Lance Corporal and above in the Army and Corporal and above in the Royal Marines and Royal Air Force.
⁽⁴⁾ This represents all other ranks who are not non-commissioned officers.
Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
2. Due to rounding methods used, totals may not always equal the sum of their parts.

	Naval Service⁽¹⁾	Army	Royal Air Force
Males
Commissioned officers⁽²⁾	7,110	12,420	9,600
Non-commissioned officers⁽³⁾	16,940	51,470	20,860
Other⁽⁴⁾	13,240	39,700	16,610
Total	37,280	103,600	47,070
Females
Commissioned officers⁽²⁾	620	1,370	1,330
Non-commissioned officers⁽³⁾	1,120	3,950	1,800
Other⁽⁴⁾	1,960	2,980	3,020
Total	3,700	8,310	6,150

Figures provided are for United Kingdom regular forces (including both trained and untrained personnel), and therefore exclude Gurkhas, full-time reserve personnel, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment, mobilised reservists and naval activated reservists.

Army (Redress of Grievance Cases)

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many army redress of grievance cases have been submitted in the last five years; and how many are still pending after three years. [167836]

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Mr. Caplin: Between 1 April 1999 and 31 March 2004, some 1,135 formal complaints were submitted within the Army. As at 31 March 2004, of the complaints submitted before 1 April 2001, 18 cases are still unresolved.

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the reasons are for the delays of over three years of army redress cases; and if he will make a statement. [167837]

Mr. Caplin: All complainants have the right to take their complaint, through a series of levels in the chain of command, to the Army Board (as the Defence Council). Officers have the further opportunity to petition the Crown.

A relatively small number of redress cases remain unresolved after more than three years. This is usually because of the need to exchange detailed case papers with the complainant, prior to the redress being heard, or because the cases concern complex legal issues, which can take a considerable time to resolve. Additionally, if a complainant submits a case to an employment tribunal or civil court case it is normal practice for the Army to suspend its consideration until these bodies have reached a conclusion.

Defence Colleges

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in establishing defence colleges as centres of vocational excellence. [168468]

Mr. Caplin: In support of its strong and continuing commitment to meet its training needs in the most effective, efficient and economical manner, the Ministry of Defence has recently taken a major step in the Defence Training Rationalisation Programme by establishing six Defence Colleges for specialist skills training. As a major public employer and training provider in support of the Government's skills agenda, the Department also contributes significantly to the nation's wider economic and social well-being. In so doing, the Department responds to all relevant Government initiatives and is assessing the applicability of seeking Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) status for its developing Defence Colleges.

Droitwich Spa Army Medal Office

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of the planned closure of the Droitwich Spa Army Medal Office on the efficient issuing of the (a) Iraq and (b) GSM Canal Zone medals. [168922]

Mr. Caplin: Plans are currently being drawn up in consultation with the single Services to ensure that the distribution of medals to both serving personnel and the veterans' community continues and disruption is minimised. How best to tackle the current medals backlog prior to the formation of the Joint Medal Office is being considered as part of this work.

Joint Medal Office

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written statement of 20 April 2004, Official Report, column 11WS, on Joint Medal Office, how many personnel he expects will move

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to RAF Innsworth from other bases following the creation of the Joint Medal Office on that site; and if he will make a statement. [168816]

Mr. Caplin [holding answer 26 April 2004]: At this time it is not possible to say how many personnel will move to the Joint Medal Office at RAF Innsworth. Personnel at the sites affected are currently being asked to complete a preference proforma to assess how many would wish to transfer. This exercise should be completed by July, after which Planning Assumptions can be finalised.

I intend to keep the House and appropriate constituency members informed of progress.

Manning Control Points

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military and civilian staff from APC Glasgow were involved in the administration of manning control points in (a) 1997 and (b) 2003, broken down by (i) rank and (ii) pay scale; and if he will make a statement. [167838]

Mr. Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 25 March 2004, Official Report, column 946W, which reported that the information requested was not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many amendment to terms of service forms have been signed by army personnel who have been listed for manning control reviews in each of the last eight years; and if he will make a statement. [167839]

Mr. Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 25 March 2004, Official Report, column 946W, which reported that AFB6848 forms are not held centrally for longer than a year.

Of the 28,000 AFB6848 forms signed during the period 1 March 2003 to 29 February 2004, the numbers signed by those listed for Manning Control Point review are not separately identified and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers who were (a) discharged under QR 9.413, (b) issued with manning control warning certificates and (c) discharged due to QR 9.414 who signed AFB130A were listed as P7 on their last recorded medical assessment, broken down for each of the last eight years; and if he will make a statement. [167840]

Mr. Caplin: The information requested at (a) and (c) is as follows:

Soldiers graded as P7 discharged under:

(a) QR 9.413 (b) QR 9.414

1996 11 8

1997 15 16

1998 9 20

1999 ⁽⁵⁾Under 5 13

2000 ⁽⁵⁾Under 5 29

2001 ⁽⁵⁾Under 5 29

2002 0 37

2003 0 57

⁽⁵⁾ Actual figures cannot be provided without breaching disclosure and confidentiality policy.

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	Soldiers graded as P7 discharged under:
	(a) QR 9.413	(b) QR 9.414
1996	11	8
1997	15	16
1998	9	20
1999	⁽⁵⁾Under 5	13
2000	⁽⁵⁾Under 5	29
2001	⁽⁵⁾Under 5	29
2002	0	37
2003	0	57

The number issued with manning control warning certificates is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what forms are used in the process of manning control; and in what order they are used. [167842]

Mr. Caplin: Soldiers being considered for discharge by Manning Control Point are sent a letter up to 18 months beforehand. They are asked to sign a certificate to agree that they have been warned about their potential discharge.

If a soldier is to be discharged, the parent unit is informed by letter from the appropriate Manning and Career Management Division. The unit will then raise an Army Form B130A Application for the Compulsory Premature Discharge of a Soldier, which is completed by both the Commanding Officer and the individual concerned.

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