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Parachute Regiment

Volume 453: debated on Thursday 23 November 2006

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) establishment and (b) current strength is of each of the three battalions of the Parachute Regiment. (100519)

The establishment and current strength of the three battalions of the Parachute Regiment as at 1 October 2006 are as follows:

Parachute Regiment

Establishment

Strength

Total

1,760

1,440

1st Battalion

580

450

2nd Battalion

590

490

3rd Battalion

590

500

Notes:

1. The establishment figures refer to the number of posts within a battalion that may be filled by Infantry PARA personnel (officers and soldiers). Therefore, it excludes posts that are filled by attached personnel of other arms and services such as chefs, clerks, etc.

2. Strength figures include members of the regiment serving with the battalion i.e. two Parachute Regiment (two Para) includes Para personnel posted to two Para, it does not include other Infantry personnel serving with the two Para or Para personnel posted away from the regiment.

3. Figures are for trained infantry officers and soldiers and include Para full time reserve service (FTRS) personnel serving with the Parachute Regiments.

4. Strength and Establishment figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Totals are rounded separately and therefore may not equal the sum of their parts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) officers and (b) soldiers in the Army are in receipt of parachute pay. (100520)

As at 17 November 2006 the number of officers and soldiers in the Army in receipt of parachute pay was:

Number

Officers

Regular

281

Territorial Army

24

Total

305

Soldiers

Regular

2,235

Territorial Army

462

Total

2,697

Note:

These figures do not include Gurkha soldiers.