§ Mr. SoamesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the(a) Royal Navy and Royal Marines, (b) Army and (c) Royal Air Force trained strength were deployed on operations and other military tasks for each quarter for (i) each calendar year from 1997 to 2001 and (ii) 2003. [161036]
§ Mr. IngramInformation has only been collected in the form requested since the beginning of financial year 2001–02. Figures for 2001–02 and 2002–03 were1774W published in the Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2002–03 (HC1125). Comparable figures for the first three quarters of 2003/04 are:
Percentage April to June
2003–04 July to
September
October to December
Royal Navy (incl. Marines) 18.7 12.8 14.0 Army 46.9 23.2 22.9 Air Force 16.5 13.0 12.9 These percentages do not include personnel preparing for operations or recovering from operations.
Similar information on the percentage of trained strength committed to operations in 2000–01 was published in the December 2001 answer given on 10 December 2001 to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Official Report, column 532W), but this was not on a directly comparable basis.
Summary information on commitment levels for 1998–99 and 1999–2000 was published in the respective Ministry of Defence Performance Reports (CM4520, Cm. 5000). Again, this information was not compiled on a comparable basis to that set out above. Quarterly information on these years, and further information for years predating the 1998 Strategic Defence Review, is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.