Bands (Hansard, 11 February 1993)

§ Mr. Home Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the establishment of pipe bands of Scottish regiments, broken down by specialisation as appropriate; how they are funded; what are their annual costs; what training facilities for military piping are available, and at what annual cost; what is the annual income obtained from public or private performances of Scottish military pipe bands; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
Pipe bands are not separately established in Scottish regiments, but a regiment could have 15 pipes, six side drums, two tenor drums and a base drum. There is currently a piping school within the Household Division, a Guards Depot piping school and a piping and drumming wing of the Scottish Division and an Army school of piping. Central records are not held for the annual cost, the training cost or the annual income of pipe bands.

§ Mr. Home Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the establishment, annual cost and training arrangements for the pipe bands of the Royal Irish Regiment.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
There are no separate establishments for pipe bands in the regiment. The maximum number of instruments likely to be available to any regiment are 15 pipes, six side drums, two tenor drums and a base drum. Central records are not held for the annual costs of the bands. Pipers are trained at the Army school of piping in Edinburgh.

§ Mr. Trotter
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which ways the initial and subsequent training of band personnel varies between each of the services; and in each case what is the length of the full-time training undertaken.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
The principal differences between the training of musicians in the services are due to different774W standards of musical competence on entry. The length and nature of training is affected by the degree of integration of musical and military training. In the Royal Marines these are fully integrated, whilst at the Royal Military School of Music and the Royal Air Force School of Music the training is predominantly musical, with military training being provided elsewhere. The lengths of training of personnel in the three services prior to joining a band are as follows:
Royal Marines Musicians undergo eight terms of 15 weeks each. Buglers undergo five terms of 15 weeks each.
Army 10 weeks Common Military Syllabus (Recruits) and up to 44 weeks musical training, followed by three weeks on the Bandsmen Medical Assistants Course.
Royal Air Force 7 weeks initial recruit training; up to a year's musical training for non-graduates or, for graduates a shorter familiarisation course of between six weeks and four months (the length depends on individual capability); and three weeks and two days training as medical assistants.

§ Mr. Trotter
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to publish in full the review by the Commandant of the Royal Military School of Music of the future organisation, structure and geographical location of Army bands in the light of the restructuring of the Army.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
This is an internal review, and I do not therefore intend to publish it in full. No decision has yet been made on the recommendations put forward by the review, but an announcement will be made in due course once any decisions are taken.

§ Mr. Menzies Campbell
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what equivalent level of civilian paramedical expertise Army band personnel are trained; and where, when and how often they are trained in these skills.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
Army band personnel are trained to medical assistant rather than full paramedic standards. On completion of music training they attend a medical assistant course at the Royal Army Medical Corps training centre and thereafter receive regular refresher training in their units by qualified instructors. This enables them to undertake mobilisation roles in direct support of medical units in war.

§ Mr. Colvin
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role is played by the bands of regiments deployed(a) on emergency tours to Northern Ireland and Belize and (b) on residential tours outside Great Britain.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
The precise role of a band in any given theatre can vary, depending on the requirements of the unit commanding officer. On emergency tours to Northern Ireland and Belize bands deploy with units at the commanding officer's discretion, where they would typically man medical centres, deploy on patrol, as medical staff, and give concerts. When a unit has an integral band it would normally accompany the unit on residential tours outside Great Britain to BAOR, Cyprus, Hong Kong or Northern Ireland. Similar roles to those carried out on emergency tours are undertaken including taking part in ceremonial duties.
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§ Mr. Colvin
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the rules governing the use of funds received by bands as a result of public engagements; what has been the total income in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will publish details of the level and nature of current commercial sponsorship of military bands.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
In return for a contribution to public funds service bands are permitted to carry out fee-paying engagements. The total income, in the last financial year for which figures are available, 1991–92, was £113,000. There were fewer engagements that year as a knock-on effect of Operation Granby. Details of commercial sponsorship are not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. It is not, however, believed to be significant in scale.

§ Sir Nicholas Bonsor
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the(a) military operations and (b) operations in support of civil authorities in which Army band personnel have participated in the past 10 years, showing in each case the numbers participating and the nature of their activities.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Army band personnel may deploy, usually as medics, with the parent unit to any operational theatre, or on any operation in support of the civil authorities.