Army Recruitment (Hansard, 7 September 2004)

§ Mr. Ingram

The following tables show the number of officers and other ranks that were recruited into infantry battalions since financial year 2000–01. Statistics prior to this period are not available.

Table 1: Officers commissioned into the Infantry since financial year 2000–01 by regiment
		Financial year
Regiment	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04
Grenadier Guards	9	7	2	7
Coldstream Guards	6	2	6	12
Scots Guards	4	10	3	7
Irish Guards	8	4	3	3
Welsh Guards	2	6	3	3
Royal Scots,	7	3	2	7
Royal Highland Fusiliers	3	6	4	4
King's Own Scottish Borderers	4	4	2	4
Black Watch	7	7	5	6
Highlanders	7	3	8	4
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders	5	5	7	6
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	6	6	10	12
Royal Regiment of Fusiliers	12	14	10	8
Royal Anglian Regiment	11	8	9	10
King's Own Border Regiment	4	4	6	6
King's Regiment	2	3	3	4
Prince of Wales's Own Regiment	4	4	4	3
Green Howards	1	2	10	5
Queen's Lancashire Regiment	1	3	4	4
Duke of Wellington's Regiment	6	4	5	2
Devonshire and Dorset Regiment	6	4	6	3
Cheshire Regiment	2	1	9	1
Royal Welsh Fusiliers	6	1	6	5
Royal Regiment of Wales	3	1	4	1
Royal Gloucestershire. Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment	1	6	8	4
Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment	6	6	5	5
Staffordshire Regiment	6	3	3	7
Light Infantry	8	10	30	10
Royal Green Jackets	12	11	12	10
Royal Irish Regiment	8	1	4	8
Parachute Regiment	12	16	19	14
Royal Gurkha Rifles	8	10	4	6
Total	188	170	196	148

Table 2: Trained soldiers passing out from Infantry training centre Catterick to the Infantry since financial year 2000–01 by regiment
		Financial year
Regiment	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04
Grenadier Guards	119	108	78	137
Coldstream Guards	87	50	51	119
Scots Guards	91	78	50	83
Irish Guards	72	87	62	99
Welsh Guards	111	64	57	87
Royal Scots	56	59	79	56
Royal Highland Fusiliers	55	52	97	85
King's Own Scottish Borderers	70	66	47	60
Black Watch	78	58	66	88
Highlanders	16	59	53	59
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders	55	57	85	72
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment	218	214	224	133
Royal Regiment of Fusiliers	95	122	135	198
Royal Anglian Regiment	139	127	141	188

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Table 2: Trained soldiers passing out from Infantry training centre" Catterick to the Infantry since financial year 2000–01 by regiment
		Financial year
Regiment	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04
King's Own Border Regiment	83	69	46	55
King's Regiment	85	100	98	74
Prince of Wales's Own Regiment	64	81	76	104
Green Howards	56	62	64	72
Queen's Lancashire Regiment	92	78	117	104
Duke of Wellington's Regiment	94	93	91	71
Devonshire and Dorset Regiment	77	71	52	78
Cheshire Regiment	64	74	56	72
Royal Welch Fusiliers	94	102	87	91
Royal Regiment of Wales	85	104	68	56
Royal Gloucestershire. Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment	75	82	54	102
Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment	69	72	88	60
Staffordshire Regiment	80	96	91	120
Light Infantry	136	149	146	170
Royal Green Jackets	12	11	12	10
Royal Irish Regiment	75	83	62	70
Parachute Regiment	379	240	246	190
Total	3,065	2,925	2,845	3,211

The following tables show the latest figures for the number of trained officers and soldiers expected to join infantry over the next five years. At this stage it is not possible to quantify the numbers by individual battalion.

The figures for financial years 2005–06 to 2008–09 take into account my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's (Mr. Hoon) announcement to the House on 21 July 2004, Official Report, columns 343–70.

Table 3: Officers
		Financial year
Method of entry	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08	2008–09
Direct entry	165	165	165	165	165
Late entry	31	28	28	28	28
Total	196	193	193	193	193
Note:
Direct entry relates to those who enter the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst direct from education or civilian life. Late entry refers to those who apply for a commission through the ranks.

Table 4: Soldiers
		Financial year
Category	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08	2008–09
Foot Guards	368	405	418	430	430
Line	2,004	2,200	2,134	2,036	2,036
Parachute Regiment	230	225	221	234	234
Total	2,582	2,830	2,780	2,700	2.700