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Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel can be trained at any one time at (a) ITR Catterick,(b) ATR Pirbright, (c) ATR Lichfield and (d) ATR Winchester; how many personnel underwent training at each sitein each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on Army and infantry recruitment and training. [184838]Mr. Caplin: The following tables show the training capacity and numbers who underwent training by month during financial year2003-04 for Army Training Regiment Pirbright (ATR(P)), ATR Lichfield (ATR(L)) and ATR Winchester (ATR(W)) and Infantry TrainingCentre (ITC) Catterick.Table 1: Training capacity_________________________________________________________________________________________________.Unit Training capacityATR Pirbright 1,008ATR Lichfield 520ATR Winchester 520ITC Catterick 2,360_________________________________________________________________________________________________.The training capacity detailed for ATR(P), ATR(L) and ATR(W) is limited by the number of training teams that are available atany one time. For example, ATR(W) has an establishment of 15 training teams with a maximum capacity of 40 trainees pertraining team. However, due to leave and instructor training, the number of training teams that are available for training purposesat any one time is 13. This figure, multiplied by 40, provides the training capacity of 520 for ATR(W).ITC Catterick combines both Phase 1 (initial) and Phase 2 (trade) training for the Infantry. Since the establishment of the CombinedInfantry Training course at ITC Catterick in 2002, infantry training at Catterick cannot be divided into defined stages, as thecourse is essentially one seamless progression from Phase 1 to Phase 2.Table 2: Numbers under training by month in FY 2003-04_________________________________________________________________________________________________.UnitATR(P) ATR(L) ATR(W) ITC(C)2003April 840 411 542 2,069May 778 369 483 1,925June 956 245 432 2,017July 717 209 395 1,889August 933 349 416 1,787September 1,025 407 523 1,973October 780 293 524 2,031November 708 283 416 2,053December 972 345 519 1,7382004January 918 281 402 1,994February 894 251 394 2,100March 859 274 426 2,020_________________________________________________________________________________________________.The figures in Table 2 include those trainees in remedial and rehabilitation training, who are additional to training capacity.Hence, in some months, the figures quoted will exceed the training capacity detailed in Table 1.Recruitment is buoyant and the Army Training and Recruiting Agency has outperformed against mandated targets over the last twoyears. Although some battalions are understrength, the general situation across the infantry remains healthy. It is difficult toattain an even manning balance across all regiments. Some regiments benefit from excellent recruitment inflow and a balance has tobe made. Where there are shortages elsewhere every effort is made to alleviate the situation. |