HC Deb 19 October 1998 vol 317 c887W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy ships are currently undermanned; of which types; and to what extent. [55648]

Mr. Doug Henderson

The major ships of the Surface Flotilla all experience a degree of gapping which, on average, amounts to 5 per cent. of the full crew complement, and in the case of minor ships this average is 4 per cent. There are no submarines operating below their full crew complement.