HC Deb 01 December 1983 vol 49 cc586-9W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, further to the reply, Official Report, 17 November, c. 542, concerning the numbers employed in cooking and catering for the Army and the Royal Air Force, whether he will publish in the Official Report the corresponding figures for the Royal Navy together with a table showing (a) the numbers in each case based in the United Kingdom, (b) the number based in West Germany, (c) the pay and emoluments in each grade in the United Kingdom, (d) the employer's pension contribution in each grade and (e) the numbers at sea in the case of the Royal Navy.

Mr. Stanley

There are 2,910 service personnel and 1,680 civilians employed full time in catering in the Royal Navy. Details of rank, deployment and pay of service personnel are as follows:

Rank Numbers ashore (worldwide)* Numbers at sea United Kingdom annual salary (£s)† Employers' ERNIC contributions‡(£s)
Royal Navy
Commander 1 — on appointment 17,864 815
after 8 years in rank 19,738
Lieutenant Commander 6 — on appointment 13,224 815
after 8 years in rank 15,830
Lieutenant 17 4 on appointment 10,453 815
after 6 years in rank 12,144
Sub Lieutenant 2 — on appointment 6,500 466
after 3 years in rank 8,996 610
Fleet Chief Petty Officers 22 3 11,789 789
Chief Petty Officer 99 35 10,312 698
Petty Officer 257 192 9,087 623
Leading Rating 468 382 7,718 540
Able Rate 780 642 6,106 442

Rank Numbers in United Kingdom Numbers in West Germany United Kingdom annual salary (£s) Employers' ERNIC contributions (£s)
Army
Brigadier 2 — 25,001 815
Colonel 3 1 on appointment 20,789 815
after 8 years 22,970
Lieutenant Colonel 13 3 on appointment 17,864 815
after 8 years 19,738
Major 35 4 on appointment 13,224 815
after 8 years 15,830
Captain 63 18 on appointment 10,453 815
after 6 years 12,144
Subaltern 14 1 on appointment 6,500 466
after 4 years 9,216 633
Warrant Officer I 46 12 11,291 758
Warrant Officer II 126 67 10,665 720
Staff Sergeant 67 50 9,270 635
Sergeant 384 220
(Master Cook) 8,780 606
(Cook) 8,059 561
Corporal 580 337 Class I 7,374 519
Class II 6,917 491
Lance Corporal 903 545 Class I 6,492 466
Class III 5,716 418
Private 850 523 Class I 5,716 418
Class IV 4,677 355
Royal Air Force
Group Captain 2 — on appointment 20,789 815
after 8 years 22,970
Wing Commander 3 1 on appointment 17,864 815
after 8 years 19,738
Squandron Leader 27 5 on appointment 13,224 815
after 8 years 15,830
Flight Lieutenant 25 2 on appointment 10,453 815
after 6 years 12,144
Flying Officer 29 6 on appointment 8,337 578
after 4 years 9,216 633
Warrant Officer 109 15 10,467 708
(exceptionally WO Chef) (11,291) (760)
Flight Sergeant 146 19 9,549 651
Sergeant 385 40 8,780 606
Corporal 962 106 7,294 515
Senior Aircraftsman 2,139 218 5,717 418

Note:

* World-wide deployment is shown since Royal Navy numbers are not readily available for United Kingdom.

† Rates of pay vary according to a number of factors including trade, length of service, type of engagement and so on. Rates of pay for Army and Royal Air Force service personnel assume engagements of male personnel of nine years or more.

‡ Under the armed forces occupational pension scheme there is no employers' pension contribution. However, the employers' contribution towards the state pension scheme is included in the earnings related national insurance contribution, details of which are included.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, further to the reply of 17 November, Official Report, c. 542, concerning the cost per head of catering for officers and men in an average United Kingdom mess, whether he will distribute the figure of £4.52 per day between the meals served during the day.

Mr. Stanley

Actual costs are not collected in this way, but it is estimated that the 1982–83 full daily catering cost per head in an average mess would broadly have been distributed in percentage terms as follows:

Per cent.
Breakfast 15
Main meal (either lunch or dinner) 50
Third Meal (either lunch or dinner) 35

Mr. Austin Michell

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the establishment of an infantry battalion in terms of the number of officers, the number entitled to use the sergeants' mess and the number of other ranks; and if he will publish a table showing the weekly issue of food and drink inputs for catering in terms of 1982–83 volume or cost, or cash equivalent allowed.

Mr. Stanley

The current peacetime establishments of infantry battalions are as follows:

Officers Warrant Officers Sergeants Other Ranks
Mechanised Battalions in BAOR 35 81 575
Battalions with BAOR reinforcing role (United Kingdom-based NATO-rôled battalion) 35 79 539
Other infantry battalions (worldwide) 34 80 539

My Department does not record information on the issue of food and drink inputs for catering, since the

Navy Department Army Department Air Force Department Others Total
(a) United Kingdom Based Civilians
1965 102,804 121,578 51,183 34,462 310,027
1973 73,867 67,706 35,539 95,872 272,984
1983 60,594 49,440 23,523 75,324 208,881
(b) Locally Entered Civilians Abroad
1965 16,698 64,566 18,576 345 100,185
1973 5,1886 34,478 6,865 514 47,043
1983 2,303 28,229 2,749 564 33,845

Note: The figures for 1965 and 1973 have been adjusted to take account of transfers of staff from other Government Departments to the MOD. No account has been taken of internal changes in organisation or responsibility.