HC Deb 24 January 1994 vol 236 cc107-8W
Dr. Reid

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel, as defined in table 2.4 of "UK Defence Statistics 1993", will be retained by each of the services following the completion of the "Options for Change" force restructuring programme.

Mr. Hanley

On current plans, in 1995 the forecast requirement for service manpower will be around 52,500 in the Royal Navy, up to 122,000 in the Army—including Gurkhas and up to an additional 3,000 announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 1 December 1993—and around 70,000 in the Royal Air Force.

Dr. Reid

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many vessels, including those in refit and on standby, will be operated by the Royal Navy following the

completion of the "Options for Change" force restructuring programme in the classes (a) offshore patrol, (b) patrol craft and (c) Royal Fleet auxiliaries, as defined in annex B of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1993.

Mr. Hanley

On current plans, the Royal Navy will, by the mid-1990s, operate eight offshore patrol vessels, 22 patrol craft—including the three Hong Kong patrol craft —and 21 ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The total given for patrol craft includes the five River class minesweepers which have been re-roled as patrol craft since the publication of the 1993 Statement on the Defence Estimates.

Dr. Reid

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many squadrons will be operated by the Royal Air Force following the completion of the "Options for Change" force restructuring programme in each of the(a) strike/attack, (b) offensive support, (c) air defence, (d) maritime patrol, (e) reconnaissance, (f) airborne early warning, (g) transport, (h) tankers, (i) search and rescue, (j) surface to air missiles and (k) ground defence roles, as defined in table 3.1 of "UK Defence Statistics 1993".

Mr. Hanley

On current plans the RAF will, by the mid-1990s, operate six strike/attack, five offensive support, six air defence, three maritime patrol, five reconnaise, one airborne early warning, 14 transport, two tanker, two search and rescue, five surface to air missile and four ground defence squadrons.