Second Further supplementary memorandum from
the Ministry of Defence
1. This memorandum aims to provide the House
of Commons Defence Committee with additional information in respect
of their inquiry into Recruitment and Retention in the Armed Forces.
It provides responses to the questions posed in the Committee
Clerk's letter of 3 June 2008.
DETAILS REGARDING
THE ARMY
SHORT SERVICE
LIMITED COMMISSION
AND SIMILAR
SCHEME IN
THE ROYAL
MARINES
Army Short Service Limited Commission/Gap Year
Commission
2. The Short Service Limited Commission
was introduced around 30 years ago at a time when many units were
short of young officers. It was relatively simple to introduce
as the manpower numbers and costs were contained within existing
manpower ceilings and budgets. The scheme started as a paid gap
year scheme before the term "gap year" had been coined
and the name was changed to the Gap Year Commission in 1999 to
reflect what was by then the common nomenclature for such activities.
A complementary Undergraduate Army Placement scheme, introduced
to fill a requirement for placement years in some degree courses,
also proved successful. The Scheme was discontinued in mid-2007,
with the emphasis moving to people programme measures which would
have wider recruitment and retention benefits.
3. Numbers fluctuated over the years with
a peak of over 80 a year early in this decade. About a third subsequently
converted to a commission in the Regular Army and a few into the
TA. Other benefits were: access to high achieving schools which
otherwise were lukewarm to encouraging careers in the Forces,
the positive message given by recent graduates of the scheme in
universities and the long term benefit of influencing quality
individuals who later excel in their respective spheres.
Royal Marine Scheme
4. The Short Service Limited Commission
was a nine month pre-university commission which ran from October
until July in the year of university entry. The scheme ran from
1981 to 1995 and enabled three or four individuals a year who
express an interest in a commission in the Royal Marines but were
unwilling to commit themselves for a lengthy period to experience
a short, intensive introduction to the Corps which they could
take forward into civilian life. It has been assessed that the
scheme did not bring noticeably more strategic influence than
that already achieved through retired officers and the scheme
was terminated on cost grounds.
5. The course comprised three months initial
training at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines, three months
with a Commando unit and three months completing the All Arms
Commando Course. On receiving his Green Beret, the Short Service
Limited Commission Officer would end his commission & leave
the Service. Some of those completing the course subsequently
transferred to a regular commission.
Gains to Trained Strength for each Service
during 2004-05
| Target1 | Achieved2
|
| RN Officers | 440 | 410
| 93% |
| RN Other Ranks | 2,700 |
2,310 | 85% |
| Army Officers | 810 | 780
| 96% |
| Army Other Ranks | 8,700 |
9,080 | 104% |
| RAF Officers | 665 | 550
| 83% |
| RAF Other Ranks | 3,826 |
2,870 | 75% |
Note:
1 All targets set by single Services.
2 All achieved statistics, other than for Army, provided by Defence
Analysis and Statistical Advice. Army achieved statistics are
provided by the single Service: Army officer figures comprise
Direct Entry and Professionally Qualified Officers only; Army
Other Ranks represent output from Phase 2 training only. Statistics
for RN and RAF Officers include those promoted from the ranks.
Clarification of Number of Pinch Point Trades between
2003-04 and 2005-06 for each Service
| Royal Navy | Army
| Royal Air Force |
| 2003-04 | 10 | 26
| 9 |
| 2004-05 | 12 | 25
| 23 |
| 2005-06 | 12 | 24
| 21 |
VOLUNTEER RESERVE
MILITARY MANPOWER
REQUIREMENT SINCE
2004 AND THE
REGULAR RESERVE
STRENGTH SINCE
2004 AND CLARIFICATION
OF THE
DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN
TABLE 27 (P
169) IN ANNUAL
REPORT AND
ACCOUNTS 2006-07 AND
TABLES 24-5 IN
ANNUAL REPORT
AND ACCOUNTS
2005-06 (P 143)
Volunteer Reserve Requirement since 2004
| April 2008 Provisional
| April 2007 Provisional | April 2006
| April 2005 | April 2004
|
| Royal Navy and Royal Marine Reserve |
2,360 | 2,940 | 3,040
| 3,740 | 3,820 |
| Territorial Army | 30,270 |
30,270 | 30,270 | 30,270
| 30,270 |
| Royal Auxiliary Air Force | 2,000
| 2,100 | 2,210 | 2,215
| 2,220 |
Note:
- Following introduction of the Joint Personnel Administration
system all data from April 2007 is provisional and subject to
review.
- Strengths rounded to the nearest 10.
Regular Reserve Strength since 2004
| December 20071 |
April 2007 | April 2006
| April 2005 | April 2004
|
| Naval Service | 10,330 | 9,600
| 10,400 | 10,530 | 10,700
|
| Army | 33,650 | 33,800
| 32,100 | 31,420 | 31,220
|
| Royal Air Force | 6,685 |
7,300 | 7,800 | 8,440
| 9,520 |
Note
1 Latest available data
2 Following introduction of the Joint Personnel Administration
system all data from April 2007 is provisional and subject to
review.
DATA DISCREPANCIES
6. Whilst some discrepancies result from the subsequent
refining of provisional data, some of the apparent discrepancies
also result from the use of different terminology. It is therefore
not possible to directly compare the figures between the tables
provided in the different annual reports, for example, individuals
liable to recall is not the same as trained strength and strength
refers to all personnel whilst trained strength refers to those
personnel that have completed prescribed training.
23 June 2008
|
