HC Deb 21 April 1994 vol 241 cc621-2W
Mr. Cann

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what ranks exist in(a) the British Army, (b) the Royal Navy and (c) the Royal Air Force; and what is the number of personnel in each rank.

Mr. Hanley

Ranks in the Royal Naval Services, Army and Royal Air Force, and the number of personnel in each rank as at 1 January 1994, the latest date for which information is held, were as follows:

Royal Naval Services Numbers
Royal Navy
Admiral of the Fleet
Admiral 5
Vice Admiral 11
Rear Admiral 28
Commodore 37
Captain 328
Commander 1,125
Lieutenant Commander 2,369
Lieutenant 3,158
Sub-Lieutenant 1,067
Officer Designate 256
Warrant Officer 840
Chief Petty Officer 7,521
Petty Officer 6,624
Leading Rate 8,942
Able Rate 14,670
Ordinary Rate/Junior 1,364
Royal Marines
General
Lieutenant General 1
Major General 2
Brigadier 3
Colonel/Lieutenant Colonel 34
Major 102
Captain 195
Lieutenant 277
Officer Designate 105
Warrant Officer Class 1 43
Warrant Officer Class 2 222
Colour Sergeant 368
Sergeant 736
Corporal 1,658
Marine 1st Class 3,126
Marine 2nd Class/Junior 475
Queen Alexandra's Royal Navy Service
Commandant Nursing Officer 1
Principal Nursing Officer 2
Chief Nursing Officer 5
Superintending Nursing Officer 26
Senior Nursing Officer 47
Nursing Officer 10
Warrant Officer RGN/Warrant Officer EN(G) 1
Chief RGN/Chief EN(G) 17
Royal Naval Services Numbers
Petty Officer RGN/Petty Officer EN(G) 51
Leading RGN/Leading EN(G) 232
Student Nurse/Pupil Nurse/EN(G) 185
Probationary Nurse 70
Army
Field Marshall 1
General 8
Lieutenant General 9
Major General 55
Brigadier 210
Colonel 552
Lieutenant Colonel 1,685
Major 4,851
Captain 4,776
Lieutenant/2nd Lieutenant 2,643
Officer Designate 471
Warrant Officer Class 1 2,034
Warrant Officer Class 2 5,304
Staff Sergeant 6,807
Sergeant 12,241
Corporal 19,222
Lance Corporal 19,458
Private Classes 1 to 3 36,633
Private Class 4/Junior 7,790
Royal Air Force
Marshal of the Royal Air Force 1
Air Chief Marshal 5
Air Marshal 6
Air Vice Marshal 39
Air Commodore 105
Group Captain 404
Wing Commander 1,329
Squadron Leader 3,603
Flight Lieutenant 6,220
Flying Officer/Pilot Officer 1,649
Officer Designate 343
Warrant Officer 1,719
Flight Sergeant/Chief Technician 5,088
Sergeant 10,381
Corporal 18,909
Junior Technician/Senior Aircraftman/Leading Aircraftman 26,857
Aircraftman 408
Notes:

  1. 1. Figures exclude 5 star officers who remain on the active list but do not hold an appointment.
  2. 2. Commodore (RN) and Brigadier (RM) are not substantive ranks but are appointments. Figures represent Captains (RN) and Colonels (RM) filling Commodore (RN) and Brigadier (RM) appointments.
  3. 3. RGN—Registered General Nurse; EN(G)—Enrolled Nurse (General).
  4. 4. Members of Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC) and Princess Marina's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (PMRAFNS) hold the same ranks as other personnel serving respectively in the Army and Royal Air Force.
  5. 5. RN Chaplains do not hold Service Ranks, but have been included in the Naval rank equivalent of their class.
  6. 6. The term "Officer Designate" is used to describe university cadets and personnel under initial training or awaiting initial training at one of the Service officer training establishments.
  7. 7. I would also refer the hon. Member to the Tri-Service Personnel Statistics, a copy of which is placed in the Library of the House.

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