To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost is of (a) training and equipping one infantryman in the army and (b) employing that infantryman for five years. (103738)

The cost of training an Infantryman in financial year 2005-06, the latest period for which figures are available, was £27,000. These costs relate to the combined Phase 1 and 2 course at the Infantry Training Centre (ITC) Catterick, which prepares the Infantryman for their first appointment with the Field Army.

Capitation rates for the equivalent of an Infantryman, rank of Private, for financial year 2006-07 are in the region of £22,000 per annum. This covers basic pay, ERNIC and SCAPE (superannuation contributions adjusted for past experience). Capitation rates do not include allowances as these are specific to individuals and differ widely across the Army.