HC Deb 26 November 2001 vol 375 c662W
35. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total establishment of the armed forces is; and how many vacancies are unfilled. [15110]

Mr. Ingram

The current trained requirement of the armed forces, as at 1 October, was 197,243 against a total trained strength of 187,699, showing a shortfall of 9,544.