HC Deb 12 January 1998 vol 304 c128W
17. Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by how many each of the armed services was below establishment on 1 January. [20212]

Mr. Spellar

Details for 1 January are not yet available. As at 1 November 1997, the latest figures available, the shortfall in trained strength against trained requirement for each of the Armed Forces was as follows: Naval Service, 1,900; Army, about 4,500; and RAF, 2,900.