HC Deb 28 February 1996 vol 272 c537W
Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many tanks the Army possessed in(a) 1979 and (b) 1996. [17758]

Mr. Arbuthnot

At 1 January 1979, the Army possessed 870 main battle tanks, of which 620 were deployed in operational units, and at 1 January 1996, 470 main battle tanks, of which 350 were deployed in operational units.