§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the recent rate of annual recruitment into the Royal Navy; and what will be the future rate having regard to the reduction of between 8,000 and 10,000 personnel by 1986.
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§ Mr. GoodhartThe total number of officers and ratings entering the Royal Navy over the last three years was as follows:
1978–79 6,000 1979–80 7,700 1980–81 8,100 Reductions in Royal Navy numbers by 1986 will as far as possible be made through natural wastage and control of recruitment rates. Precisely how far recruiting is adjusted will depend on a number of factors, in particular retention rates.