Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel went absent without leave for each year since 1986, giving categories showing the approximate lengths of time for which people have been absent, the number of absentees below the ages of 21 and 18 years, and the varying levels of absenteeism in different commands and trades.
§ Mr. Archie Hamilton[holding answer 22 November 1990]: The information which is held centrally for each of the three services is as follows:
Royal Navy Approximate length of absence 1987 1988 1989 Under 1 month 52 58 66 1 to 3 months 4 13 7 3 to 6 months 2 3 7 6 to 12 months 2 5 5 1 to 2 years — — 3 2 years+ 2 — — Total 62 79 88 Absentees Under 18 30 24 39 Absentees Under 21 2 10 7 Note: Records of absentees by Command or trade are not held.
Army Approximate length of absence 1987 1988 1989 3 weeks to 3 months 251 239 284 3 to 6 months 87 129 157 6 to 12 months 57 86 164 1 to 2 years 48 66 140 2 years+ 65 51 — Total 508 571 745 Absentees Under 18 26 39 38 Absentees Under 21 262 313 450
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Record of absentees by Command Last recorded theatre 1987 1988 1989 BAOR 161 214 241 Cyprus 5 7 3 Gibraltar 2 1 5 Hong Kong — 2 1 Others 13 8 12 United Kingdom 327 339 483 Total 508 571 745 NoteAll figures exclude those who went absent in previous years.
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A breakdown of total absentees by career employment qualification is as follows 1987 1988 1989 Army Air Corps Soldier (Clerk) — — 1 Army Air Corps Soldier 3 — 1 Air Survey Technician — — 1 Ammunition Technician — 1 — Amphibious Engineer — — 5 Armoured Engineer — 1 — Armourer — — 1 Bandsman 1 1 — Bricklayer and Construction — 2 — Combat Engineer 4 10 7 Combat Lineman 1 1 — Combat Medical Technician 5 2 5 Combat Signalman Royal Engineers — 1 1 Combat Signalman — 2 — Chef 4 5 6 Clerk 3 3 4 Clerk Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 1 — — Command Post Assistant (Field) — 3 — Command Post Assistant (Surface to Air Missiles) 1 — — Design Draftsman 1 — — Drone Operator — — 3 Driver 19 14 30 Driver Electrician 2 1 2 Driver Lineman — 2 2 Driver Radio Operator — 1 2 Driver Royal Engineers 2 — 2 Driver Royal Army Ordnance Corps 1 — — Driver Tank Transporter — — 1 Electrician Royal Engineers 1 — — Fitter Royal Engineers — — 4 Gunner Driver Royal Engineers 10 9 16 Gunner Field Guns 21 23 32 Gunner Surface to Air Missile Lights — 4 1 Gunner Surface to Air Missile (Shoulder Launch) 3 1 2 Gunner Surface to Surface Missile 1 — — Infantry Soldier 233 243 384 Military Accountant 3 1 3 Mounted Gunner 1 — — Military Police (General Police Duties) — — 2 Metalsmith 1 — 1 Operator Artillery Intelligence — 1 — Petroleum Operative 2 — — Pioneer Royal Pioneer Corps 13 10 6 Plant Operator Mechanic — 1 2 Plumber Pipe — 2 — Painter and Decorator 2 — — Postal Courier Operator — — 2 Physical Training Instructor — 1 — Radio Operator 2 2 2 Royal Armoured Corps Soldier 6 5 4 Radio Operator Field — 1 — Radio Relay Operator 1 3 3 Radio Relay Technician — 1 — Signaller Royal Artillery 5 3 9 Staff Clerk 1 — — Storeman Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers — 3 — Storeman Technical — 2 — Stores Accountant 1 1 — Supply Controller 1 3 3 Supply Specialist 9 3 5 Technician Aircraft 1 — — Technician Instrument — — 1 Technician Radar (Rapier) — — 2 Telecommunications Operator (Data) 1 2 1 Telecommunications Operator (Linguist) — 1 — Telecommunications Operator (Radio) — — 1 Telecommunications Operator (Telegraph) 2 4 3 UNALLOCATED 132 184 175 Vehicle Electrician — 1 1
1987 1988 1989 Vehicle Specialist 1 — — Vehicle Mechanic A Vehicles — 1 1 Vehicle Mechanic B Vehicles 6 5 5 Note: Absentees listed as unallocated are those without a specialist trade and thus not allocated to a career employment qualification group or for whom the career employment qualification is not recorded centrally.
RAF Approximate length of absence 1987 1988 1989 Under 1 month 232 161 205 1 to 3 months 8 11 7 3 to 6 months 4 1 1 6 to 12 months 1 — 1 1 year plus 14 2 2 Total 259 175 216 Note: Figures include those who returned from previous years but exclude those still absent.
Absentees 1987 1988 1989 Under 18 6 1 5 Under 21 88 46 84
Record of absentees by Command Last recorded Command 1987 1988 1989 Germany 10 8 9 HQ Strike Command 151 110 141 HQ RAF Support Command 50 37 42 Others 16 9 11 Non effective1 38 12 4 Total 265 176 207 1 Non effective personnel are those absent for more than 28 days. Note: Figures include those who went absent and are still absent.
A breakdown of RAF absentees by trade group is as follows 1987 1988 1989 Trade Group 1. Aircraft engineering 50 20 3 2. Air Electronic Engineering 8 5 4 3. Ground Electronic Engineering 9 11 7 4. Obsolete — — — 5. General Engineering 8 10 6 6. Mechanical transport 24 13 17 7. Marine craft (now obsolete) 7 — — 8. Security 30 30 31 9. Air Traffic Control 8 6 5 10. General Service 18 8 9 11. Telecommunications 13 11 13 12. Aerospace Systems Operating 5 7 6 13. Safety and Surface 8 12 8 14. Photography 9 — 2 15. Medical 2 1 — 16. Dental 1 0 0 17. Accounting and Secretarial 10 9 9 18. Supply and Movements 24 24 29 19. Catering 27 8 26 54. Apprentices — — 3 Others 11 — —