HL Deb 28 April 2003 vol 647 cc66-8WA
Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the Army trained strength from April 2001 to February 2003. [HL2558]

Lord Bach

A computing coding error has been identified in Army strength figures prepared by the Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA) since 1 April 2001. From that date a number of untrained soldiers have been recorded against the trained Army strength. As a result Army strength figures previously announced and included in DASA publications have overstated the trained strength of the Army during that period. However, the combined strength of trained and untrained personnel has been correctly reported in all publications. It is the breakdown between trained and untrained strength that is affected by this problem.

As at 1 February 2003, whole Army strength (comprising UK Trained Army Personnel. Gurkhas and Full Time Reserve Service) stood at 101,750. Army recruitment and retention initiatives are producing gains to whole Army strength in line with forecasts. The trend over the past 12 months has been encouraging with Army strength increasing by over 1,300 trained personnel. A table comparing the figures issued in error with the corrected figures follows:

Whole Army Strength (April 2001–February 2003) Previously Published and Corrected Figures
Published Figures Corrected Figures
1 April 2001 UKTAP 96,285 96,280
GURKHAS 3,447 3,450
FTRS 646 650
Total 100,380 100,380
1 May 2001 UKTAP 96,083 96,060
GURKHAS 3,455 3,450
FTRS 674 670
Total 100,210 100,180
1 June 2001 UKTAP 96,003 95,980
GURKHAS 3,471 3,470
FTRS 695 700
Total 100,170 100,140
1 July 2001 UKTAP 95,864 95,820
GURKHAS 3,485 3,480
FTRS 695 700
Total 100,040 100,000
1 August 2001 UKTAP 95,863 95,780
GURKHAS 3,500 3,500
FTRS 709 710
Total 100,070 99,980
1 September 2001 UKTAP 96,049 95,920
GURKHAS 3,500 3,500
FTRS 755 760
Total 100,300 100,170

Whole Army Strength (April 2001–February 2003) Previously Published and Corrected Figures
Published Figures Corrected Figures
1 October 2001 UKTAP 96,261 95,970
GURKHAS 3,528 3,530
FTRS 812 810
Total 100,600 100,310
1 November 2001 UKTAP 96,255 95,900
GURKHAS 3,526 3,530
FTRS 854 850
Total 100,640 100,280
1 December 2001 UKTAP 96,320 96,000
GURKHAS 3,583 3,580
FTRS 901 900
Total 100,800 100,490
1 January 2002 UKTAP 96,373 96,040
GURKHAS 3,622 3,620
FTRS 919 920
Total 100,910 100,580
1 February 2002 UKTAP 96,449 95,980
GURKHAS 3,536 3,540
FTRS 914 910
Total 100,900 100,430
1 March 2002 UKTAP 96,428 95,980
GURKHAS 3,458 3,460
FTRS 919 920
Total 100,810 100,360
1 April 2002 UKTAP 96,507 96,020
GURKHAS 3,449 3,450
FTRS 946 950
Total 100,900 100,420
1 May 2002 UKTAP 96,880 96,330
GURKHAS 3,460 3,460
FTRS 984 980
Total 101,320 100,770
1 June 2002 UKTAP 97,050 96,430
GURKHAS 3,470 3,470
FTRS 988 990
Total 101,510 100,890
1 July 2002 UKTAP 97,090 96,500
GURKHAS 3,470 3,470
FTRS 981 980
Total 101,540 100,960
1 August 2002 UKTAP 96,970 96,360
GURKHAS 3,480 3,470
FTRS 1,030 1,030
Total 101,480 100,860
1 September 2002 UKTAP 97,160 96,590
GURKHAS 3,460 3,460
FTRS 1,043 1,040
Total 101,660 101,100
1 October 2002 UKTAP 97,480 96,780
GURKHAS 3,460 3,460
FTRS 1,054 1,050
Total 101,990 101,290
1 November 2002 UKTAP 97,540 96,880
GURKHAS 3,480 3,480
FTRS 1,054 1,060
Total 102,070 101,420
1 December 2002 UKTAP 97,630 96,840
GURKHAS 3,500 3,500
FTRS 1,082 1,080
Total 102,220 101,420

Whole Army Strength (April 2001–February 2003) Previously Published and Corrected Figures
Published Figures Corrected Figures
1 January 2003 UKTAP 98,180 97,200
GURKHAS 3,520 3,520
FTRS 1,105 1,110
Total 102,800 101,820
1 February 2003 UKTAP 97,220
GURKHAS 3,430
FTRS 1,100
Total 101,750
Rounding to the nearest 10 introduced in May 2002. Due to the rounding methods used totals may not always equal the sum of the parts.

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