19 Nov 2007 : Column 471W—continued
| Pinch Point Trade | VO Rate (percentage) |
|
Royal Navy (as at 1 July 2007)
| |
|
Able Bodied Seaman
|
6.5
|
|
Merlin Pilots
|
4.0
|
|
Merlin Observers
|
1.7
|
|
Merlin Aircrew
|
5.0
|
|
Leading Hand Warfare
|
4.4
|
|
Able Bodied Diver
|
2.4
|
|
Royal Marines Other Ranks
|
6.3
|
|
Leading Hand Air Engineering Technician
|
2.0
|
|
Petty Officer Mine Warfare
|
5.4
|
|
Able Bodied Warfare Specialist (Sensors Submariner)
|
4.3
|
|
Able Bodied Warfare Specialist (Tactical Submariner)
|
6.5
|
|
Strategic Weapons Systems Junior Ranks
|
3.3
|
|
Nuclear Watchkeeper
|
2.7
|
| | |
|
Army (a s at 12 February 2007 )
| |
|
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Vehicle Mechanic 1
|
5.8
|
19 Nov 2007 : Column 472W
|
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Recovery Mechanic
|
5.7
|
|
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Armourer
|
5.1
|
|
Royal Engineers Clerk of Works
|
1.8
|
|
Army Medical Service—General Surgeon
|
0.0
|
|
Royal Engineers Mechanical Engineer Fitter
|
8.2
|
|
Royal Logistics Corps Ammunition Technician
|
4.2
|
|
Royal Logistic Corps—Postal and Courier Operator
|
5.9
|
|
Royal Logistics Corps Movement Controller
|
2.9
|
|
Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps—Radiographer
|
10.4
|
|
Royal Engineers Military Engineer Geographic
|
5.8
|
|
Intelligence Operational Military Intelligence
|
5.0
|
|
Royal Engineers Explosive Ordnance Disposal 2
|
3.8
|
|
Royal SIGNALS Information Systems Engineer
|
3.7
|
|
Royal Engineers Command, Control and Communications Systems
|
9.5
|
|
Army Medical Service—General Medical Practitioner
|
5.8
|
|
Royal Logistics Corps Chef
|
2.5
|
|
Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps—Operation Department Practitioner
|
3.6
|
|
Royal Logistics Corps Petroleum Operator
|
6.3
|
|
Army Medical Service—General Duties Nurse Soldier
|
10.3
|
|
Royal Artillery—Operator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
|
10.9
|
|
Army Medical Service—Nurse Officer
|
8.5
|
|
Army Medical Service—A&E Nurse Officer
|
0.0
|
|
Army Medical Service—Anaesthetist
|
0.0
|
|
Army Medical Service—Radiologist
|
0.0
|
|
Army Medical Service—Orthopaedic Surgeon
|
0.0
|
|
Army Medical Service—Intensive Therapy Unit Nurse Officer
|
0.0
|
| | |
|
Royal Air Force (a s at 1 May 2007 )
| |
|
Medical
|
2.3
|
|
Operational Support (Intelligence)
|
2.1
|
|
Operational Support (RAF Regiment)
|
2.7
|
|
Operational Support (Provost/Security)
|
5.1
|
|
Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service
|
2.3
|
|
Weapons Support (Air Load Master)
|
0.6
|
|
Weapons Support (Linguist)
|
0.0
|
|
Air Traffic Control
|
2.3
|
|
Flight Operations Manager/Flight Operations Assistant—Sergeant
|
4.8
|
|
Firefighter
|
10.6
|
|
Gunner
|
5.3
|
|
Movements Operations/Controller
|
3.4
|
|
Motor Transport Technician
|
2.5
|
|
RAF Police
|
4.2
|
|
Staff Nurse (RON) A&E
|
6.4
|
Armed Forces: Housing
Mr. Gerald Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the financial allocation was to the Defence housing budget for the (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08 financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2008-09. [163048]
19 Nov 2007 : Column 473W
Derek Twigg:
The financial allocation for Defence Estate's Housing Directorate (formerly the Defence Housing Executive), which covers the costs of the provision of houses to Service families in Great Britain net of contributions by personnel, but excluding overheads, is as follows:
| | £ million |
|
2006-07
|
(1)240
|
|
2007-08
|
(2)261
|
(1 )Actual expenditure. (2 )Forecast.
|
The budget for 2008-09 is still being finalised as part of the Department's current planning.
Dr. Murrison:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of married quarters were of each grade one to four in the last year for which figures are available. [165870]
Derek Twigg:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces gave on 12 November 2007, Official Report, columns 49-50W, to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox).
Armed Forces: Officers
Dr. Fox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) established and (b) current trained strength of officers in the Army is, broken down by arm. [164556]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth:
The following table shows the trained officer strength and Regular Army Liability (RAL) as at 1 March 2007 by arm service. The difference between liability and trained strength is attributable to: Operational requirements; the impact of extended courses; and long-term absence, for example due to illness or pregnancy.
| Current UKTAP officer manning state by arm/service as at 1 March 2007 |
| Arm/service | RAL 06 | Strength |
|
Total
|
13,250
|
13,840
|
|
STAFF
|
720
|
830
|
|
HCAV/RAC
|
840
|
850
|
|
RA
|
1,010
|
1,040
|
|
RE
|
1,200
|
1,220
|
|
R SIGNALS
|
930
|
1,010
|
|
INFANTRY
|
2,490
|
2,730
|
|
AAC
|
490
|
520
|
|
RAChD
|
150
|
140
|
|
RLC
|
1,580
|
1,640
|
|
RAMC
|
950
|
1,040
|
|
REME
|
770
|
840
|
|
AGC (PRO)
|
210
|
220
|
|
AGC (SPS)
|
440
|
480
|
|
AGO (ETS)
|
310
|
350
|
|
AGC (ALS)
|
120
|
110
|
|
RAVC
|
30
|
30
|
|
SASC
|
30
|
30
|
|
RADC
|
160
|
140
|
|
INT CORPS
|
320
|
290
|
|
APTC
|
50
|
50
|
|
GENERAL LIST
|
—
|
—
|
19 Nov 2007 : Column 474W
|
QARANC
|
410
|
260
|
|
CA Mus
|
30
|
40
|
— = denotes zero or rounded to zero.
Notes:
1. Figures are shown as at 1 March 2007 as reliable Army strength statistics to this level are not yet available for 1 April 2007 onwards. This is due to the ongoing validation of Army data following the introduction of the new Personnel Administration System.
2. Figures are for UK regular forces trained officers and therefore excludes Gurkhas, Full-Time Reserve Service personnel, the Home Service Battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists.
3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent disclosure of sensitive personal data.
Due to the rounding methods used, totals may not always equal the sum of the parts.
|
Armed Forces: Postal Services
Dr. Fox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the announcement on free post for the families of troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan of 12 November 2007 is expected to cost his Department; and if he will make a statement. [165887]
Mr. Kevan Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost of providing a free parcel service throughout the year for members of the armed forces serving overseas. [165589]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth:
The cost of the freepost service announced on 12 November to be met by the Government will be met by the Treasury Reserve. It is not possible to state at this time how much this will be. The cost will be dependent on mail volumes which are difficult to predict. We will be in a position to make an informed estimate once the service has run for six months and an assessment of a ‘steady state’ volume can be made for planning purposes.
Estimates of the costs at this stage are between £1 million and £4 million per year, excluding the Royal Mail contribution. The cost of the service increases exponentially once mail volume passes a certain level as additional air charter and personnel costs start to be factored in.
Dr. Fox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how long the free post for personnel on operations announced on 12 November 2007 will extend; and if he will make a statement. [165888]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth:
There is no planned end date for the freepost scheme announced on 12 November. The scheme will operate for as long as our personnel are serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan theatres.
