HC Deb 22 October 2002 vol 391 cc150-1W
Mr. Keetch

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the(a) Royal Navy, (b) Army and (c) the Royal Air Force were aged (i) under 18, (ii) 18 to 19, (iii) 20 to 24, (iv) 25 to 29, (v) 30 to 34, (vi) 35 to 39, (vii) 40 to 44, (viii) 45 to 49 and (ix) 50 years and over on 1 April each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [76166]

Mr. Ingram

The percentage of the(a) Royal Navy, (b) Army and (c) the Royal Air Force by age categories are listed in the following tables:

Army Officers
Months April 2002 July 2001 July 2000 July 1999 July 1998 July 1997
Age (yrs) Percentage
35 to 39 14.3 14.7 14.5 14.6 14.2 14.2
40 to 44 17.0 16.8 16.5 16.2 15 7 15.2
45 to 49 12.0 12.0 11.3 11 6 11 4 12 6
50 and over 9.3 9.4 9.9 9.8 9.8 9.4
Grand Total 100 100 100 100 100 100

Army Other Ranks
Months April 2002 July 2001 July 2000 July 1999 July 1998 July 1997
Age (yrs) Percentage
Under 18 5.8 4.8 4.4 5.0 4.4 3.8
18 to 19 11.0 11.0 11.5 11.5 10.7 9.1
20 to 24 28.5 28.2 27.2 26.4 26.5 28.0
25 to 29 19.6 20.9 22.9 24.5 26.6 28.5
30 to 34 18.3 18.6 18.1 17.8 17.7 17.1
35 to 39 13.5 13.4 13.0 12.3 11.8 11.2
40 to 44 2.8 2.6 2.3 2.0 1.8 1.7
45 to 49 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4
50 and over 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2
Grand Total 100 100 100 100 100 100

(c) Royal Air Force

RAF Officers
Months April 2002 July 2001 July 2000 July 1999 July 1998 July 1997
Age (yrs) Percentage
Under 18 - - - - - -
18 to 19 0.4 0 4 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1
20 to 24 8.1 7.8 7.1 6.2 5.7 6.0
25 to 29 14.1 14.8 15.7 16.3 17.4 17.9
30 to 34 20.8 21.1 21.6 22.5 22.8 22.4
35 to 39 21.5 20.9 20.1 19.4 19.0 18.3
40 to 44 13.7 13.3 13.0 13.1 12.8 13.0
45 to 49 10.5 10.4 10.3 10.4 10.8 11.4
50 and over 10.8 11.3 11.9 11.8 11.4 10.9
Grand Total 100 100 100 100 100 100

RAF Other Ranks
Months April 2002 July 2001 July 2000 July 1999 July 1998 July 1997
Age (yrs) Percentage
Under 18 1.3 1.1 0.8 1.0 0.9 0.6
18 to 19 5.1 4.9 5.0 4.9 3.7 2.4
20 to 24 19.7 18.5 16.3 13.6 12.2 13.6
25 to 29 16.4 18.0 21.0 24.3 28.4 30.6
30 to 34 21.3 22.0 22.1 22.0 22.0 22.6
35 to 39 19.6 19.8 19.9 19.9 19.1 17.3
40 to 44 11.0 10.2 9.3 8.9 8.3 7.8
45 to 49 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.5 3 3 3.1
50 and over 1.8 1.9 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.1
Grand Total 100 100 100 100 100 100

Note:

-denotes 0