Aircraft and Manpower

HC Deb 10 December 1974 vol 883 cc99-100W

Mr. Churchill

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the ratio of front-line aircraft to uniformed and

Mr. Judd

The figures for the first three years in question are:

civilian manpower—including MOD staff —on the proportion of the Defence Vote attributable to the operation of the RAF; and what were the actual numbers for each of the years 1954, 1964, 1974 and projected for 1980.

Mr. John

The approximate numbers of Service and civilian personnel, including locally-engaged uniformed personnel and civilian as well as trainees, attributable to the RAF portion of the defence budget for the various years are:

	Service	Civilian
1st April 1954	267,000	100,000
1st April 1964	137,000	77,000
1st April 1974	99,000	42,000

The projected levels for 1980 will reflect the reductions announced in the statement on the defence review on 3rd December, but until final decisions have been taken and detailed planning completed no precise figures can be given. It is not the practice to give the numbers of front line aircraft in service with the Royal Air Force.