§ Mr. MacShaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of black or Asian(a) warrant officers and (b) commissioned officers up to the rank of (i) captain, (ii) colonel and (iii) field-marshal or equivalent ranks serving in Her Majesty's forces. [14899]
§ Mr. SoamesAccording to the results of the ethnic origin survey of the regular armed forces, based on the 57 per cent. of responses received as at 1 October last year the following numbers of personnel classified themselves as black or Asian:
Black Asian Warrant officer or equivalent Commissioned officers: 64 40 up to the rank of captain or equivalent 59 94 Major to colonel or equivalent 31 66 Brigadier to field marshal or equivalent 1— 1— 1 Figure less than 5. Where numbers are less than 5, figures are not given in order to avoid individuals being identified. The first results of ethnic origin survey of the regular armed forces, giving percentage figures, have been published in the new tri-service personnel statistical return entitled "Ethnic Composition of the Regular Armed Forces", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.