| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
23 Feb 2009 : Column 20W—continued
Armed Forces: Manpower
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) trained requirement, (b) trained strength and (c) numbers fit for duty are of (i) Territorial Army staff, (ii) Royal Armoured Corps, (iii) Royal Artillery, (iv) Royal Engineers, (v) Royal Signals, (vi) Infantry, (vii) Army Air Corps, (viii) Royal Army Chaplains Department, (ix) Royal Logistics Corps, (x) Royal Army Medical Corps, (xi) Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, (xii) Adjutant General’s Corps, (xiii) Royal Army Veterinary Corps, (xiv) Small Arms School Corps, (xv) Royal Army Dentistry Corps, (xvi) Intelligence Corps, (xvii) Army Physical Training Corps and (xviii) Queen Alexandra’s Royal Auxiliary Nursing Corps are. [257775]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: In the following table, the trained requirement figures requested are shown by the funded liability. Fit for duty figures are not held centrally, however, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 February 2009, Official Report, columns 1117-118W, to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin) which provides infantry figures:
| Organisation | Funded liability | Trained strength | |
| (1)( )Provisional (2)( )Excludes Gurkhas (3)( )Reflects increased operational requirements | |||
Armed Forces: Racial Discrimination
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what policies and practices are in place to counter sectarianism and racism in the armed forces. [248689]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 19 January 2009]: The armed forces aim to create a working environment free from harassment, intimidation and unlawful discrimination in which everyone is not only valued and respected, but encouraged to realise their full potential, regardless of race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, social background or sexual orientation. All complaints of discrimination or harassment are taken seriously, investigated thoroughly, and, when proven, dealt with robustly.
Education is central to the drive to promote awareness of diversity and equality and to eliminate unacceptable behaviour. Diversity and equality training is undertaken at the Joint Equality and Diversity Training Centre and widely across all three services. Other measures include: confidential advice and support helplines; trained equality and diversity advisers in every unit; guidance, videos and briefings on diversity issues, harassment, bullying and complaints.
A Service Complaints Commissioner for the .Armed Forces took up her appointment on 1 January 2008. The Commissioner has the power to refer allegations of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and dishonest, improper or biased behaviour to the chain of command
for action. The role of the Commissioner is to provide scrutiny and assurance that the complaints process is working effectively and that lessons are learned and implemented.
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many recruitment training courses were either cancelled or postponed in each of the last three years; and how many recruits were affected. [245117]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Overall some courses were cancelled or postponed but all entrants were trained without undue delay. The information available for each service is:
Over the course of the last three financial years, four Royal Marine other ranks initial training courses have been cancelled; this was primarily due to the lack of recruits to fill allocated places. In all, some 120 trainees were affected as their entry to CTCRM was delayed by two weeks. No other Naval Service initial training courses were cancelled or postponed in that time.
Over the last three financial years 12 infantry platoons did not form up due to insufficient trainees and five courses at the Army Training Regiment Bassingbourn were cancelled. Further courses were run with reduced numbers due to trainers not being available. In total 1,197 training places were affected. Planning has ensured that no recruits were affected.
In total, seven initial training courses have been cancelled over the last three years: six in FY2006-07; and one in FY2007-08. No recruits were affected, as the courses were cancelled before any recruits were allocated places.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on recruitment advertising for each of the armed forces in each month in each year since 1998. [248668]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: A monthly breakdown of advertising expenditure is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, a detailed breakdown of armed forces recruitment advertising costs by year for each service is provided in the following table.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |