Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) Army service personnel, (b) Royal Air Force service personnel and (c) Royal Navy personnel have applied for voluntary redundancy; and whether he has any plans to make further offers of voluntary redundancy.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonApplications for selection for redundancy in 1992–93 have been received from over 5,000 Army personnel. We also expect to invite Army personnel to apply for redundancy in both 1993–94 and 1994–95.
The RN expects shortly to invite applications for redundancy in 1992–93.
It is not yet clear whether any redundancies will be needed in the RAF.
Mr. O'NeillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of those Army personnel who have applied for voluntary redundancy are(a) private soldiers, (b) NCOs and (c) officers; and what proportion of those Army personnel who have applied for voluntary redundancy come from (i) the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, (ii) the Royal Corps of Signals and (iii) the Corps of Royal Engineers.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonSome 85 per cent. of the applicants for voluntary redundancy are NCOs and 15 per cent. are officers.
Ten per cent. of applicants are from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, 5 per cent. are from the Royal Signals and 7 per cent. are from the Corps of Royal Engineers.
Private soldiers in the Army are not invited to apply for redundancy.