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6 Jan 2010 : Column 454W—continued

Army
Aircraft type/mark	MOD effective fleet	Current planned OSD	Comments
Apache	67	2030	We expect to have to invest further in this aircraft (e.g. to address obsolescence and meet emerging requirements) during the next decade, in order to sustain its service life up to 2030.
Gazelle	39	2018	Gazelle currently provides a training capability in support of the British Army Training Unit in Canada (BATUS). We are currently exploring alternative arrangements to deliver a BATUS capability based on leased aircraft.
Lynx Mk7	66	2015	(1)It is expected that these aircraft will be replaced by the battlefield variant of Wildcat from 2014.
Lynx Mk-9	22	2018	(1)-
(1 )Indicates brace

6 Jan 2010 : Column 455W

Royal Air Force
Aircraft type/mark	MOD effective fleet	Current planned OSD	Comments
Chinook Mk2	32	2040	(1)2 Mk 2 aircraft lost in current conflict reducing Mk2/2A fleet to 38. We expect to have to invest further in the next decade in the remaining aircraft to address obsolescence, to meet emerging requirements and to ensure they can achieve the planned OSD of 2040, although no investment decisions have yet been made. These figures exclude the eight Chinook Mk3 currently undergoing reversion. The first of these aircraft is already in service and it is expected that the remaining 7 Mk3 will be operational by the end of 2010. The OSD for these aircraft will be 2040.
Chinook Mk2a	6	2040	(1)-
Merlin Mk3	22	2030	(1)We expect to have to invest further in this aircraft (e.g. to address obsolescence and meet emerging requirements) during the next decade, in order to sustain its service life up to 2030.
Merlin Mk3a	6	2030	(1)-
Puma	34	2025	-
Sea King Mk3/3a	25	2016	The Search and Rescue capability provided by these aircraft will be replaced by a joint PFI service with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
(1) Indicates brace

These figures do not include aircraft leased by the MOD.

The adoption of the Future Rotary Wing Strategy, announced by the Secretary of State for Defence on 15 December 2009, Official Report, column 99WS, has resulted in a number of changes to our planning assumptions, although the only change to OSDs is for all marks of Sea King which will now retire in 2016 rather than 2018.

We are procuring 22 additional Chinook by 2020, increasing the fleet size to 70 and subject to the Defence Review and individual investment approval the Merlin Mk3/3a fleet is due to switch from the Royal Air Force to the Royal Navy. Further Merlin Mk1 may potentially be modified to deliver Airborne Search and Control capabilities.

Military Bases: Scotland

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civilian staff and (b) service staff were employed at Edinburgh Castle in each of the last 10 years. [308728]

Bill Rammell: The number of staff is shown in the following table:

6 Jan 2010 : Column 456W

	Civilian staff	Service staff
2000	40	90
2001	40	90
2002	40	90
2003	40	90
2004	40	90
2005	40	90
2006	40	120
2007	40	30
2008	40	30
2009	50	30
Note: Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10 in accordance with statistical conventions.

The increase in the number of civilian staff in 2009 is primarily because of MOD Guard Service personnel replacing military personnel drawn from other stations.

The increase in the number of service personnel in 2006 is primarily because of an uplift in military posts to augment HQ 52 Infantry Brigade (HQ 52 Infantry Brigade) for operational deployment. The reduction to 30 service staff in 2007 follows the deployment and then subsequent relocation of 52 Infantry Brigade to Redford Barracks, Edinburgh.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the maintenance costs were for the military garrison at Edinburgh Castle for each of the last 10 years. [308729]

Bill Rammell: Building maintenance costs for the military garrison at Edinburgh Castle since October 2003 are shown in the following table. Information prior to October 2003 is not held.

Financial year	Cost (£)
October 2003 to March 2004	60,490
2004-05	152,939
2005-06	147,328
2006-07	109,586
2007-08	80,390
2008-09	307,662
April to November 2009	119,030

These figures do not include running costs, such as cleaning or utilities, which could not be separately identified in the time available.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civilian staff and (b) service staff were employed at 2nd Division HQ at Craigiehall in each of the last 10 years. [308615]

Mr. Kevan Jones: Available data are shown in the following tables.

Civilian staff numbers are only available centrally from 2005 and service numbers are only available centrally from 2002. Information prior to these dates could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

6 Jan 2010 : Column 457W

	Civilian staff numbers
2006	120
2007	120
2008	120
2009	120

	Service staff numbers
2002	80
2003	80
2004	80
2005	80
2006	80
2007	80
2008	80
2009	80

Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 in accordance with statistical conventions.

Navy: Military Aircraft

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Harrier GR9 aircraft are operated by the Naval Strike Wing; and how many are (a) operational and (b) in maintenance. [309142]

Bill Rammell: Naval Strike Wing routinely operates up to 12 aircraft from the Joint Force Harrier (JFH) Forward Available Fleet (FAF).

The FAF comprises aircraft which are serviceable and those which are short-term unserviceable. Short term unserviceable aircraft are undergoing minor works, forward maintenance or any other unforeseen rectification work that can arise on a day-to-day basis. Serviceable aircraft available to the front-line commands for operational and training purposes are termed available. These statistics are only collated at fleet level and cannot be provided for individual units within JFH.

The number of Harrier aircraft which are in the forward available fleet and available as at 18 December 2009 is provided in the following table:

	Number
Forward Available Fleet	44
Available	42

Navy: Reserve Forces

Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy reservists there were of each rank in each year since 1997. [308731]

Bill Rammell: The information requested is given in the following table. Records are not held prior to December 2003.

6 Jan 2010 : Column 458W

	1 April 2009	1 April 2008	1 April 2007	1 April 2006	1 April 2005	1 April 2004	31 Dec 2003
Officers
Untrained Strength	156	159	169	188	207	48	49
Sub Lieutenant	13	20	19	32	21	29	25
Lieutenant	247	259	247	238	243	278	287
Lieutenant Commander	346	379	407	428	441	479	481
Commander	86	88	86	84	73	68	70
Captain	8	6	5	7	8	7	8
Commodore	1	2	2	1	I	2	1
Ratings
Untrained Strength	361	314	305	331	444	345	364
Able Seaman 2	26	34	53	91	86	62	59
Able Seaman 1	241	281	285	294	310	349	357
Leading Hand	159	170	195	223	249	282	287
Petty Officer	188	205	229	272	290	314	324
Chief Petty Officer	172	176	194	184	193	212	217
Warrant Officer	17	13	12	13	2	01	01

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