§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the tours of duty undertaken by164W members of the General Service Battalion since 1994 and those planned for the next two years indicating the numbers involved. [20322]
§ Dr. ReidIn 1994 the First Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment was stationed in Cyprus as a resident battalion, the manning requirement for which was 539 officers and men. It returned to the United Kingdom in May 1995 and converted to its current primary role of a mechanised infantry battalion with a manning requirement of 625 officers and men. Since then the battalion has completed one six month operational tour in Northern Ireland from December 1995 to June 1996 and on 15 December 1997 it deployed on another such tour, also in Northern Ireland. In both cases the minimum manning strength required is 510 officers and men. On current plans, the battalion is unlikely to be deployed on another operational tour in the next two years.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the duties of part-time members of the Royal Irish Regiment Home Service battalions. [20324]
§ Dr. ReidThe duties of the Part-Time element of the Home Service are exactly the same of those of the Full-Time element and include foot and vehicle patrols, vehicle checkpoints, helicopter-borne operation, searches and static guard duties.
The Part-Time soldiers of the Royal Irish Regiment Home Service form an important and integral part of the Army in Northern Ireland. The Part-time element supplements the Full Time companies, particularly at nights and weekends and, depending on the security situation, can also provide an enhanced operational capability or operational reserve.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the total salary costs for part-time members of the Royal Irish Regiment in the last year for which figures are available. [20326]
§ Dr. ReidThe total salary costs for part-time members of the Royal Irish Regiment Home Service from 1 April 1996 to 31 March 1997 were approximately £13,660,000.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 6 November 1997,Official Report, column 321, what were the total staffing levels of the Royal Irish Regiment in December 1997 (i) in total and (ii) broken down (1) into numbers of full-time and part-time, (2) by gender, (3) by perceived religious or community origin of each gender and (4) battalion. [20328]
§ Dr. ReidAs explained in my answer of 6 November 1997,Official Report, column 324, this information will not be available until early next year. I will write to my hon. Friend when the figures are available.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many part-time members of the Royal Irish Regiment are otherwise(a) employed and (b) unemployed; and if he will estimate the numbers of part-time members of the Royal Irish Regiment falling into each standard occupational category in their civilian roles. [20327]
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§ Dr. ReidAs at 1 December 1997, the number of Royal Irish Regiment Home Service part-time soldiers was approximately 1,870, of whom my Department estimate some 1,520 are otherwise employed and 350 are otherwise unemployed.
Estimates of the numbers of part-time members falling into each standard occupational category in their civilian roles are as follows:
Number Managers and Administrators 115 Professional Occupations 50 Associate Professional and Technical Occupations 75 Clerical and Secretarial Occupations 60 Crafts and Skilled Manual Occupations 375 Personal and Protective Service Occupations 30 Sales Occupations 90 Plant and Machine Operatives 340 Other Occupations 385