§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the total numbers of British forces, planes and tanks deployed, by country, in western Europe, and the equivalent figures for each year since 1979.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe numbers of United Kingdom regular forces deployed, by country, in western Europe as at 1 April 1989 are as follows:
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Deployment of United Kingdom regular forces, by country, in Western Europe, as at 1 April 1989 Country Total German Federal Republic (excluding West Berlin) 64,294 West Berlin 3,754 Belgium 906 Greece 1 Denmark 26 France 22 Italy (including Sardinia) 350 Netherlands 629 Norway 811 Portugal 67 Spain 229 Turkey 16 Unspecified 29 Total 71,134 The equivalent figures for each year since 1979 until 1988 are not held in the same detail and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I am able, however, to offer figures of United Kingdom forces deployed, broken down between the Federal Republic of Germany and elsewhere in western Europe. They are as follows:
Deployment of United Kingdom regular forces in the Federal Republic of Germany and elsewhere in Western Europe 1979–88 Year Federal Republic of Germany Elsewhere in Western Europe Total 19791 64,618 5,580 70,298 1980 64,713 5,847 70,560 1981 69,109 6,051 75,160 1982 70,493 6,237 76,730 1983 67,424 6,031 73,455 1984 65,605 6,550 72,155 1985 66,586 6,343 72,929 1986 66,918 5,982 72,900 1987 66,836 6,328 73,164 1988 66,750 6,450 73,200 1 1 July. The figures cover all United Kingdom regular forces, male and female. Army personnel from BAOR on emergency tours in Northern Ireland are added back to the Federal Republic of Germany numbers but personnel recorded as on short tours elsewhere are not included.
All United Kingdom regular army armoured and armoured reconnaissance regiments within western Europe are based in BAOR. The figures for numbers of regiments deployments in BAOR since 1979 are shown in the next table. It is not our policy to give more detailed information on numbers of tanks deployed in particular locations.
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Numbers of United Kingdom regular army armoured and armoured reconnaissance regiments deployed in BAOR 1979 to 1989 Year Number of Armoured Regiments Number of Armoured Reconnaissance Regiments Total 1979 8 5 13 1980 8 5 13 1981 9 4 13 1982 9 4 13 1983 9 4 13 1984 10 3 13 1985 11 2 13 1986 11 2 13 1987 11 2 13
Year Number of Armoured Regiments Number of Armoured Reconnaissance Regiments Total 1988 12 2 14 1989 12 2 14 RAF front line units within western Europe are based in the Federal Republic of Germany. There were 12 squadrons of aircraft deployed in RAF Germany between 1979 and 1982, 13 from 1983 to 1985, 14 in 1986 and 15 from 1987 to the present day. It is not our policy to give more detailed information on numbers of aircraft deployed in particular locations.