HC Deb 05 March 2003 vol 400 cc1033-40W
Mr. Keetch

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF personnel in the latest analysed Royal Air Force continuous attitude survey said they did not take all their annual leave; what percentage of those responding to this question this represents; what percentage cited service commitments or a combination of service commitments and personal reasons for not taking full leave entitlement; when the survey was completed; and if he will make a statement. [99188]

Dr. Moonie

The latest analysed survey was issued to 2,000 RAF personnel on 1 February 2002, and completed by them during February to April 2002. It was published in September 2002.

The extent to which Service personnel made use of their annual leave entitlement, and the reasons for not doing so, if applicable were assessed by two specific questions, the responses to which are set out in the following tables;

It is not possible to separate the 'don't know' from the `not applicable' responses.

Table 1—How much of your annual leave entitlement did you use in your last leave year?
Airmen Officers Total
All of it
Number 200 26 226
Percentage 21.0 11.9 19.3
Did not take 1–5 working days
Number 192 33 225
Percentage 20.1 15.1 19.2

Table 1—How much of your annual leave entitlement did you use in your last leave year?
Airmen Officers Total
Did not take 6–10 working days
Number 196 43 239
Percentage 20.5 19.7 20.4
Did not take 11–15 working days
Number 275 70 345
Percentage 28.8 32.1 29.4
Did not take 16 or more working days
Number 91 46 137
Percentage 9.5 21.1 11.7
Total
Number 954 218 1,172
Percentage 100 100 100

Table 2—If you were unable to take your full leave entitlement, what was the reason?
Airmen Officers Total
Personal
Number 98 12 110
Percentage 13.6 6.3 12.1
Service commitments
Number 334 92 426
Percentage 46.5 48.2 46.9
Combination personal reasons/Service commitments
Number 286 87 373
Percentage 39.8 45.5 41.0
Total
Number 718 191 909
Percentage 100 100 100

Mr. Keetch

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF personnel in the latest analysed Royal Air Force continuous attitude survey indicated they were(a) very satisfied, (b) satisfied, (c) neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, (d) dissatisfied, (e) very dissatisfied and (f) do not know regarding (i) the direction and strategy of the RAF, (ii) the future of the RAF, (iii) the impact of change on the RAF, (iv) the effects of civilianisation and contractorisation on the RAF, (v) the quality of own line management, (vi) the quality of line management in their working group, (vii) the quality of line management in the RAF, (viii) the quality of leadership in the RAF, (ix) the RAF's compliance with employment legislation and (x) the effect of a service lifestyle on their family life; what percentage of those responding to this question each option represents; when the survey was completed; and if he will make a statement. [99189]

Dr. Moonie

The latest analysed survey was issued to 2000 RAF personnel on 1 February 2002, and completed by them during February to April 2002. It was published in September 2002.

The survey assessed the level of individual's satisfaction of the direction and strategy of the RAF, the future of the RAF, the impact of change on the RAF, the effects of civilianisation and contractorisation on the RAF, the quality of own line management, the quality of line management in their working group, the quality of line management in the RAF, the quality of leadership in the RAF, the RAF's compliance with employment legislation and the effect of a service lifestyle on their family life. This was achieved by 10 specific questions, the responses to each of which questions are set out in the following tables.

It is not possible to separate the 'Do not know' from the 'not applicable' responses.

Table 1: Please indicate how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the direction and strategy of the RAF
Airmen Officers Total
Very satisfied
Number 14 — 14
Percentage 1.5 — 1.2
Satisfied
Number 210 54 264
Percentage 22.2 24.7 22.6
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Number 416 92 508
Percentage 43.9 42.0 43.6
Dissatisfied
Number 220 58 278
Percentage 23.2 26.5 23.8
Very dissatisfied
Number 67 12 79
Percentage 7.1 5.5 6.8
Do not know/not applicable
Number 20 3 23
Percentage 2.1 1.4 2.0
Total
Number 947 219 1,166
Percentage 100 100 100

Table 2: Please indicate how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the future of the RAF
Airmen Officers Total
Very satisfied
Number 8 — 8
Percentage 0.8 — 0.7
Satisfied
Number 191 45 236
Percentage 20.2 20.5 20.3
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Number 345 93 438
Percentage 36.5 42.5 37.6
Dissatisfied
Number 315 70 385
Percentage 33.3 32.0 33.0
Very dissatisfied
Number 76 10 86
Percentage 8.0 4.6 7.4
Do not know/not applicable
Number 11 1 12
Percentage 1.2 0.5 1.0
Total
Number 946 219 1,165
Percentage 100 100 100

Table 3: Please indicate how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the impact of change on the RAF
Airmen Officers Total
Very satisfied
Number 3 — 3
Percentage 0.3 — 0.3
Satisfied
Number 129 25 154
Percentage 13.7 11.5 13.3
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Number 337 70 407
Percentage 35.7 32.1 35.0

Table 3: Please indicate how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the impact of change on the RAF
Airmen Officers Total
Dissatisfied
Number 354 104 458
Percentage 37.5 47.7 39.4
Very dissatisfied
Number 105 18 123
Percentage 11.1 8.3 10.6
Do not know/not applicable
Number 16 1 17
Percentage 1.7 0.5 1.5
Total
Number 944 218 1,162
Percentage 100 100 100

Table 4: Please indicate how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the effects of civilianisation and contractorisation on the RAF
Airmen Officers Total
Very satisfied
Number 1 1 2
Percentage 0.1 0.5 0.2
Satisfied
Number 42 8 50
Percentage 4.4 3.7 4.3
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Number 152 37 189
Percentage 16.1 16.9 16.2
Dissatisfied
Number 373 103 476
Percentage 39.4 47.0 40.9
Very dissatisfied
Number 371 70 441
Percentage 39.2 32.0 37.9
Do not know/not applicable
Number 7 — 7
Percentage 0.7 — 0.6
Total
Number 946 219 1,165
Percentage 100 100 100

Table 5: Please indicate how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the quality of your own line management
Airmen Officers Total
Very satisfied
Number 78 14 92
Percentage 8.2 6.4 7.9
Satisfied
Number 464 115 579
Percentage 49.0 52.5 49.7
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Number 230 60 290
Percentage 24.3 27.4 24.9
Dissatisfied
Number 125 23 148
Percentage 13.2 10.5 12.7
Very dissatisfied
Number 46 5 51
Percentage 4.9 2.3 4.4
Do not know/not applicable
Number 4 2 6
Percentage 0.4 0.9 0.5
Total
Number 947 219 1,166
Percentage 100 100 100

Table 6: Please indicate how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the quality of line management in your working group
Airmen Officers Total
Very satisfied
Number 73 11 84
Percentage 7.7 5.0 7.2
Satisfied
Number 443 115 558
Percentage 46.8 52.5 47.9
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Number 269 63 332
Percentage 28.4 28.8 28.5
Dissatisfied
Number 109 20 129
Percentage 11.5 9.1 11.1
Very dissatisfied
Number 42 4 46
Percentage 4.4 1.8 3.9
Do not know/not applicable
Number 10 6 16
Percentage 1.1 2.7 1.4
Total
Number 946 219 1,165
Percentage 100 100 100

Table 7: Please indicate how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the quality of line management in the RAF
Airmen Officers Total
Very satisfied
Number 13 1 14
Percentage 1.4 0.5 1.2
Satisfied
Number 283 60 343
Percentage 29.9 27.4 29.5
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Number 421 112 533
Percentage 44.6 51.1 45.8
Dissatisfied
Number 172 39 211
Percentage 18.2 17.8 18.1
Very dissatisfied
Number 41 3 44
Percentage 4.3 1.4 3.8
Do not know/not applicable
Number 15 4 19
Percentage 1.6 1.8 1.6
Total
Number 945 219 1,164
Percentage 100 100 100

Table 8: Please indicate how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the quality of leadership in the RAF
Airmen Officers Total
Very satisfied
Number 20 2 22
Percentage 2.1 0.9 1.9
Satisfied
Number 265 59 324
Percentage 28.0 27.1 27.8
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Number 364 77 441
Percentage 38.4 35.3 37.9
Dissatisfied
Number 230 64 294
Percentage 24.3 29.4 25.2
Very dissatisfied
Number 64 15 79
Percentage 6.8 6.9 6.8
Do not know/not applicable
Number 4 1 5
Percentage 0.4 0.5 0.4

Table 8: Please indicate how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the quality of leadership in the RAF
Airmen Officers Total
Total
Number 947 218 1,165
Percentage 100 100 100

Table 9: Please indicate how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the RAF's compliance with employment legislation
Airmen Officers Total
Very satisfied
Number 29 4 33
Percentage 3.1 1.8 2.8
Satisfied
Number 312 62 374
Percentage 33.0 28.3 32.1
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Number 403 98 501
Percentage 42.6 44.7 43.0
Dissatisfied
Number 95 26 121
Percentage 10.0 11.9 10.4
Very dissatisfied
Number 55 11 66
Percentage 5.8 5.0 5.7
Do not know/not applicable
Number 52 18 70
Percentage 5.5 8.2 6.0
Total
Number 946 219 1,165
Percentage 100 100 100

Table 10: Please indicate how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the effect of service lifestyle on your family life
Airmen Officers Total
Very satisfied
Number 15 1 16
Percentage 1.6 0.5 1.4
Satisfied
Number 237 47 284
Percentage 25.0 21.5 24.4
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Number 319 81 400
Percentage 33.7 37.0 34.3
Dissatisfied
Number 214 62 276
Percentage 22.6 28.3 23.7
Very dissatisfied
Number 119 21 140
Percentage 12.6 9.6 12.0
Do not know/not applicable
Number 43 7 50
Percentage 4.5 3.2 4.3
Total
Number 947 219 1,166
Percentage 100 100 100

Mr. Keetch

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF personnel in the latest analysed Royal Air Force continuous attitude survey indicated they rated the level of morale of(a) themselves, (b) their flight/section/working group, (c) group and (d) the RAF as a whole as (i) very high, (ii) high, (iii) neither high nor low, (iv) low, (v) very low and (vi) did not know; what percentage of those responding to this question each option represents; when the survey was completed; and if he will make a statement. [99193]

Dr. Moonie

The latest analysed survey was issued to 2000 RAF personnel on 1 February 2002, and completed by them during February to April 2002. It was published in September 2002.

In this survey, the level of morale of individuals, along with an individual's perception of the level of morale within their flights or working groups and the RAF as a whole were investigated by three specific questions. The responses to each of these questions are set out in the following tables.

Table 1: How would you rate the level of morale for yourself?
Airmen Officers Total
Very high
Number 70 17 87
Percentage 7.4 7.8 7.4
High
Number 326 85 411
Percentage 34.3 38.8 35.2
Neither high nor low
Number 293 81 374
Percentage 30.8 37.0 32.0
Low
Number 191 28 219
Percentage 20.1 12.8 18.7
Very low
Number 70 8 78
Percentage 7.4 3.7 6.7
Do not know
Number — — —
Percentage — — —
Total
Number 950 219 1,169
Percentage 100 100 100

Table 2: How would you rate the level of morale for your flight/ section/working group?
Airmen Officers Total
Very high
Number 21 2 23
Percentage 2.2 0.9 2.0
High
Number 177 57 234
Percentage 18.6 26.4 20.1
Neither high nor low
Number 338 115 453
Percentage 35.6 53.2 38.9
Low
Number 295 34 329
Percentage 31.1 15.7 28.2
Very low
Number 116 7 123
Percentage 12.2 3.2 10.5
Do not know
Number 3 1 4
Percentage 0.3 0.5 0.3
Total
Number 950 216 1,166
Percentage 100 100 100

Table 3: How would you rate the level of morale for the RAF as a whole?
Airmen Officers Total
Very high
Number 2 — 2
Percentage 0.2 — 0.2
High
Number 44 6 50
Percentage 4.6 2.7 4.3

Table 3: How would you rate the level of morale for the RAF as a whole?
Airmen Officers Total
Neither high nor low
Number 281 80 361
Percentage 29.6 36.5 30.9
Low
Number 467 111 578
Percentage 49.2 50.7 49.4
Very low
Number 114 12 126
Percentage 12.0 5.5 10.8
Do not know
Number 42 10 52
Percentage 4.4 4.6 4.4
Total
Number 950 219 1,169
Percentage 100 100 100