Scottish Division (Hansard, 13 November 1991)

§ Mr. Home Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the occasions during the last five years when personnel from Scottish Division infantry divisions have been deployed to make up the strength of battalions from other divisions serving in Northern Ireland; and whether any such deployments are planned at present.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
Using soldiers from one division to reinforce another is not an unusual occurrence. Over the last five years Scottish battalions have reinforced non-Scottish battalions serving in Northern Ireland on the following occasions:

—7 soldiers between April and October 1988.

—30 soldiers between September 1988 and March 1989.

—10 soldiers between November 1988 and July 1989.

—4 soldiers between September 1989 and January 1990.

For operational reasons we do not give details of future deployments.

§ Mr. Home Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average length of service of trained soldiers in the Scottish Division and in the rest of the infantry, apart from the Gurkhas, respectively.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
The information requested is set out in the table.

Average Length of Service of Trained Soldiers

Length of Service (in Years)

Financial Year Scottish Division Rest of Infantry¹

1988–89 6.9 7.0

1989–90 7.0 7.2

1990–91 7.3 7.4

¹ Rest of Infantry includes Guards and Parachute Regiment but excludes Scottish Division.

§ Mr. Home Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the rate of losses of recruits during initial training over the last five years at the Scottish Division depot and in the rest of the Army, respectively.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
Wastage rates for the Scottish division depot are not kept separately; the table below shows wastage rates for the whole Scottish Division, compared with those for the rest of the Army.
609W

Wastage of adults and young soldiers within first six months of service

Financial year of intake Scottish division Rest of army

Rate per cent. Rate per cent.

1986–87 11.0 25.9

1987–88 23.6 29.7

1988–89 28.1 27.8

1989–90 29.5 30.0

¹1990–91 26.6 31.7

¹ Provisional figures for 1990–91.

Average Length of Service of Trained Soldiers
	Length of Service (in Years)
Financial Year	Scottish Division	Rest of Infantry¹
1988–89	6.9	7.0
1989–90	7.0	7.2
1990–91	7.3	7.4
¹ Rest of Infantry includes Guards and Parachute Regiment but excludes Scottish Division.

Wastage of adults and young soldiers within first six months of service
Financial year of intake	Scottish division	Rest of army
	Rate per cent.	Rate per cent.
1986–87	11.0	25.9
1987–88	23.6	29.7
1988–89	28.1	27.8
1989–90	29.5	30.0
¹1990–91	26.6	31.7
¹ Provisional figures for 1990–91.