§ 25. Mr. MillerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the changes in the proportion of the armed forces committed to operations since May 1997. [152722]
§ Mr. SpellarAs at 1 May 1997, some 26 per cent. of the trained Army were committed to operations. As at 28 February 2001 this had reduced to 22 per cent. Figures for the Naval Service and RAF have been routinely collected only more recently and information for 1997, therefore, is not available. Currently some 10 per cent. of the Naval Service is deployed on operational tasks and some 10 per cent. of the RAF is committed to operations.
§ Mr. GillTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British soldiers are deployed abroad, and in which countries. [154313]
§ Mr. SpellarI will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.