Armed Forces: Staff
House of Lords
Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay (Liberal Democrat)
To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the numbers of (a) officers, and (b) other ranks, serving in each of the Army, the Royal Navy, and the Royal Air Force, on 1 April in (1) 1980, (2) 1990, (3) 2000, (4) 2005, (5) 2010, and (6) 2011.
Lord Astor of Hever (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Defence; Conservative)
The numbers of officers and other ranks in each of the three services is presented in the following table. The figures comprise both trained and untrained personnel, and are rounded to the nearest 10.
| Strength of UK Regular Armed Forces, at 1 April each year | ||||||
| 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2011 | |
| Naval Service | 71,940 | 63,250 | 42,850 | 39,940 | 38,730 | 37,660 |
| Officers | 10,140 | 10,150 | 7,660 | 7,730 | 7,460 | 7,410 |
| Other Ranks | 61,800 | 53,110 | 35,190 | 32,210 | 31,270 | 30,240 |
| Army | 159,050 | 152,810 | 110,050 | 109,290 | 108,870 | 106,230 |
| Officers | 17,040 | 17,440 | 13,870 | 14,660 | 14,640 | 14,760 |
| Other Ranks | 142,010 | 135,380 | 96,180 | 94,630 | 94,230 | 91,470 |
| RAF | 89,640 | 89,680 | 54,720 | 51,870 | 44,050 | 42,460 |
| Officers | 14,790 | 15,270 | 10,990 | 10,620 | 9,820 | 9,660 |
| Other Ranks | 74,850 | 74,410 | 43,730 | 41,250 | 34,230 | 32,810 |