HC Deb 26 January 1998 vol 305 cc24-6W
Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel are under the command of each one star and each two star commander of Land Command United Kingdom. [24796]

Dr. Reid

The number of service personnel under command of two-star and one-star commanders in land Command in the United Kingdom is as follows:

Two Stars
Appointment Regular TA Total
General Officer Commanding
2 Division 10,704 17,737 28,441
3 Division 8,966 3,221 12,187
4 Division 17,218 5,702 22,920
5 Division 5,335 13,492 18,827
London District 4,620 714 5,334
Scotland 2,596 7,084 9,680
One star
Appointment Regular TA Total
Commander
1 Mech Bde 6,280 0 6,280
2 (SE) Bde 2,843 1,501 4,344
5 AB Bde 4,599 208 4,807
15 (NE) Bde 2,401 8,865 11,266
19 Mech Bde 6,029 0 6,029
24 Airmob Bde 5,200 0 5,200
42 (NW) Bde 1,870 5,690 7,560
43 (Wx) Bde 1,597 3,221 4,818
49 (E) Bde 2,170 8,852 11,022
51 (H) Bde 883 3,183 4,066
52 (L) Bde 1,654 3,862 5,516
143 (WM) Bde 1,676 3,069 4,745
145 (HC) Bde 4,525 3,980 8,505
160 (W) Bde 1,630 3,584 5,214

The figures for service personnel include uniformed non-regular permanent staff. The figures for two-star commands include in total some 8,000 service personnel working in headquarters and other units which are distributed throughout the United Kingdom and do not feature in the figures for one-star commands.

Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the proposed capital expenditure for United Kingdom Land Command 2nd Division over the next five years. [24795]

Dr. Reid

It has been the policy of successive Governments not to publish detailed information on the outcome of the Department's long-term costings, of which planned capital expenditure forms a part. I am, therefore, withholding the information requested under exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual cost of maintaining the (i) Land Command United Kingdom Divisional Headquarters in Edinburgh, (ii) the Brigade Headquarters at Perth and (iii) the Brigade Headquarters at Edinburgh. [24792]

Dr. Reid

The estimated cost of maintaining these headquarters next financial year will be:

  1. (i) HQ Scottish District, Edinburgh: £5,598,000
  2. (ii) HQ 51 Brigade, Perth: £648,000
  3. (iii) HQ 52 Brigade, Edinburgh: £930,000.

These figures include pay and running costs of the headquarters, and maintenance of the buildings. In the case of HQ Scottish District, the figures include the costs of not only the Headquarters but its supporting camp.

Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) regular and (b) territorial army soldiers are based currently in (i) Scotland and (ii) the 2nd Division; and how many would be based in the English part of the proposed Northern District with its headquarters at Edinburgh being considered by Land Command United Kingdom. [24797]

Dr. Reid

Land Command has 2,596 regular and 7,084 territorial army personnel currently based in Scotland; and 10,704 regular and 17,737 territorial army personnel in the 2 Division area. A region covering the North of England would at present include some 10,258 regular and 15,730 territorial army personnel.

Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) service and (b) civilian personnel are employed at the Army Brigade Headquarters in (i) Perth and (ii) Edinburgh; and what is the total number of regular and territorial troops under their respective commands. [24790]

Dr. Reid

Headquarters 51 Brigade in Perth has an establishment of 12 Service, and nine civilian personnel; Headquarters 52 Brigade in Edinburgh, 12 Service and 15 civilian staff.

The total established strength of Land Command units under command or administrative control of Headquarters 51 Brigade is 883 regular and 3,183 Territorial Army personnel; and of Headquarters 52 Brigade: 1,654 regular and 3,862 Territorial Army personnel.

Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) service and (b) civilian personnel are employed at the headquarters of 15 and 49 Army Brigades; and what is the total number of regular and territorial troops under their respective commands. [24798]

Dr. Reid

There are currently 33 service and 37 civilian personnel employed in the Headquarters 15 Brigade at York; and 38 service and 37 civilian personnel in the Headquarters of 49 Brigade at Chilwell. The authorised strength of units under command or administrative control of Headquarters 15 Brigade is 2,401 regular and 8,865 territorial army personnel; and of Headquarters of 49 Brigade, 2,170 regular and 8,852 territorial army personnel.

Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) service and (b) civilian personnel are employed at the United Kingdom Land Command Divisional Headquarters in (i) Edinburgh and (ii) York; and what is the total number of regular and territorial troops under their respective commands. [24791]

Dr. Reid

Headquarters Scottish District in Edinburgh has an establishment of 91 Service and 60 civilian staff. The equivalent figures for Headquarters 2 Division at York are 104 and 171 respectively. I regret that the figures for Headquarters 2 Division given in the answer from my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary on 16 January 1998,Official Report, column 349, excluded a number of staff who should have been included.

The total established strength of units under command or administrative control of Scottish District is 2,596 regular and 7,084 Territorial Army personnel. The figures for 2 Division are 10,704 and 17,737 respectively.