§ Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) field marshals, (b) admirals of the fleet, (c) air chief marshals are currently on (i) the active list and (ii) the retired list; at what cost in each case; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HanleyAll admirals of the fleet, field marshals, and marshals of the Royal Air Force—five-star officers—remain on the active list. Normally, only the Chief of the Defence Staff, currently a marshal of the Royal Air Force, is actually a serving officer. Unusually, we have two serving officers at this level at present. The other is chairman of the NATO military committee, an international appointment. They are on a salary of £112,084.20.
The remainder are in effective retirement. Those promoted in the early 1980s to date are in receipt of a pension of 48.5 per cent. of active service pay—£54,361. Those promoted before then receive pension or half pay—£56,042.
Current numbers of five-star officers are: Full pay Half pay 48.5 per cent. Total Royal Navy — 5 3 8 Army 1 — 7 8 RAF 1 — 5 6 —— —— —— —— Total 2 5 15 22 These figures do not include His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, who holds five-star rank in all the armed forces, and His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, who holds the rank of field marshal.