HL Deb 17 March 2005 vol 670 cc40-1WS
Lord Bach

My right honourable friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Adam Ingram) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

On 1 November 2004, I informed the House that there would be a series of announcements relating to the Defence Logistics Transformation Programme. On 25 November 2004, following a period of trades union consultation, I announced the implementation of changes arising from the recommendations of the end-to-end review of the logistics process for military aircraft support. I indicated that, in addition to changes arising from air depth support, the application of end-to-end logistic principles would result in a reduction of around 1,500 RAF uniformed personnel and some reductions in MOD civilian posts at some RAF stations.

As part of this continuing process, I am announcing today how the overall reductions in both RAF uniformed personnel and MOD civilians as a result of the application of the end-to-end logistic principles are expected to affect individual RAF stations. The civilian reductions will be subject to TU consultation. These efficiency reductions, together with the increase to the defence budget, will ensure that the department can modernise its Armed Forces to meet tomorrow's challenges.

Further work to identify efficiencies has now estimated that the reduction in the number of RAF uniformed personnel posts will be in the region of 2,000. With regard to MOD civilian posts, I anticipate that a net additional 70 posts will no longer be required. These changes will form part of the service and civilian manpower reductions of 7,500 and 10,000 respectively that were announced on 21 July last year.

The effect on individual stations of these efficiencies are detailed in the table below. I expect the changes to be implemented by April 2008.

Service Civilian
RAF Station Changes relating to aircraft depth Support1 Other changes Total Changes relating to aircraft depth support1 Other changes Total
Brize Norton 180 120 300 0 0 0
Cottesmore/Wittering 0 325 325 0 0 0
Kinloss 35 145 180 0 20 20
Leeming 0 215 215 0 20 20
Leuchars 0 160 160 0 +10 +10
Lossiemouth 340 360 700 50 +15 35
Lyneham 130 100 230 0 0 0
Marham + 340 370 30 0 30 30
St Mawgan 90 85 175 40 0 40
Waddington 0 125 125 0 25 25
Total 435 2,005 2,440 90 70 160

Note:

All figures are reductions unless otherwise indicated. All numbers are rounded.

1 Announced subject to Trades Union consultation 16 September 2004. Confirmed 25 November 2004.