To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answers of 13 March 2007, Official Report, columns 206-07W, on Navy: officers, and 26 March 2007, Official Report, column 1359W, on Navy: deployment, what the reasons are for the change in the ratio of the number of senior officers of rank commodore and above to the number of ships in service since 1997; and if he will make a statement. (134514)

In 1997, the ratio of serving officers of rear-admiral rank and above to ships in-service was 1:2.72 (36 admirals to 98 ships) and currently it is 1:2.27 (33 admirals to 75 ships).

The ratio of commodores to the number of ships in 2007 is 1:1.29 (58 commodores to 75 ships). As I stated in my answer of 13 March 2007, Official Report, columns 206-07W, there was no substantive rank of commodore in 1997.

There is no simple relationship between the number of senior officers serving in the Royal Navy and the number of ships in the Royal Navy. A significant number fill tri-service posts.