HC Deb 30 October 2002 vol 391 cc792-4W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many commissioned officers are serving on(a) HMS Invincible and (b) HMS Illustrious; and if he will make a statement. [78296]

Mr. Ingram

As at 25 October 2002, there were 40 commissioned officers serving on HMS Invincible and 11 on HMS Illustrious.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) commissioned and (b) non commissioned officers are serving on ships in refit or not in service, broken down by ship; and if he will make a statement. [78299]

Mr. Ingram

Ships not in service are appropriately manned for their routine care and maintenance. Such tasks include essential daily safety check and preservation checks and low-level maintenance. In addition, during refit, these reduced crews support project managers working on board; to maintain equipment not contracted to be worked on during refit and to prepare ships for their return to fleet.

The numbers of (a) commissioned and (b) non commissioned officers serving on ships in refit or not in service, broken down by ship as at 29 October are:

Ship Officers NCOs Ratings
Albion1 26 74 201
Alderney 5 6 26
Archer 1 2 2
Biter 1 2 2
Blazer 1 2 2
Bridport 3 5 23
Campbeltown2 15 47 156
Charger 1 2 2
Dasher 1 2 2
Enterprise 6 13 2
Example 1 2 2
Exploit 1 2 2
Explorer 1 2 2
Express 1 2 2
Fearless3 6 22 79
Glasgow4 22 56 163
Gloucester 7 22 15
Illustrious 11 53 125
Invincible5 39 108 286
Ixworth 0 2 4
Middleton 8 8 28
Monmouth6 11 35 56
Montrose 11 22 6
Nottingham7 9 38 86
Puncher 1 2 2
Pursuer 1 2 2
Raider 1 2 2
Smiter 1 2 2
Talent8 7 41 29
Trenchant9 10 50 50
Tracker 1 2 2
Vanguard 7 44 26
1 Albion is building up crew members to support sea trials.
2 Completion is undergoing a docking period and retains a full crew.
3 Fearless. This figure will reduce to nil as at 31 October 2002.
4 Glasgow is undergoing a short period of maintenance and retains a full crew.
5 Invincible is building up her crew as she prepares to come out of refit.
6 Monmouth. To reduce to a total of 44 on 31 October 2002.
7 Nottingham. To reduce to 64 to support repair.
8 Talent crew reducing as she goes into refit.
9 Trenchant is building up crew as she prepares to come out of refit.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many non-commissioned officers are serving on(a) HMS Invincible and (b) HMS Illustrious; and if he will make a statement [78298]

Mr. Ingram

As at 25 October 2002, there were 104 non-commissioned officers (Senior Rates) serving on HMS Invincible and 50 on HMS Illustrious.