§ Mr. Quentin DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the divorce rates for serving military personnel in(a) the Army, (b) the Royal Navy and (c) the Royal Air Force for the last 12 month period for which figures are available. [120408]
§ Mr. Spellar[holding answer 3 May 2000]: Due to the manner in which each Service records data on changes in marital status, it is not possible to provide information in the precise manner requested. Notwithstanding, the rates for 1998–99 by Service are as follows:
Number/percentage Army divorce rates 1998–99 Married strength at 1 April 57,744 Divorced (Decree Absolute and Annulments) 1,135 Proportion of married personnel Divorced 2.0% Royal Navy-Widow, Divorce and Separation Rates 1998–99 Married Strength at 1 April 22,417 Widowed, Divorced or Separated 850 Proportion of married personnel Widowed, Divorced or Separated 3.8% Royal Air Force-Divorce and Separation Rates 1998–99 Married Strength at 1 April 22,417 Divorced 10 Separated 1,172 Proportion of married personnel Divorced or Separated 3.4% Note:
The Royal Navy figures include widows/widowers
Figures provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for the married population between the ages of 20 and 34, which is broadly comparable with the average age of married Service personnel, indicate an annual divorce rate of approximately 3 per cent. The figures above show that the divorce rates in the Services on a comparable age 264W group basis are no worse than those for society as a whole, especially as the RN and RAF figures include separation as well as divorce.