HC Deb 27 July 1993 vol 229 c822W
Mr. Matthew Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the United Kingdom's overseas defence commitments by country in(a) 1980, (b) 1985 and (c) 1993; and what was the infantry manpower required to meet each of those commitments;

(2) if he will list the United Kingdom's domestic defence commitments in (a) 1980, (b) 1985 and (c) 1993; and what was the amount of infantry manpower required to meet each of those commitments.

Mr. Hanley

The United Kingdom's defence commitments worldwide are set out in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates" for 1980, 1985 and 1993; overall figures for deployments of each of the armed forces are set out in volume II of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates" for 1980 and 1985, and in "United Kingdom Defence Statistics 1993". Figures for infantry personnel stationed in the United Kingdom and overseas for 1980, 1985 and 1993 are as follows;

Country 1980 1985 1993
United Kingdom 29,041 26,147 24,654
Germany 11,152 9,921 5,915
Cyprus 1,181 1,162 904
Gibraltar 581 622 18
Hong Kong 790 801 671
Caribbean 523 574 487
Falkland Islands 175
Others 541 2,529 1,548

Notes:

1. Separate figures are not available for the Falkland Islands for 1980 and 1985. Figures for those years are included under "Others".

2. Figures for Belize are included under "Caribbean".

Mr. Matthew Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the sufficiency of United Kingdom Army personnel to meet(a) its domestic defence commitments and (b) its overseas defence commitments; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Hanley

The size of the British Army matches its commitments at home and overseas.

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