Armed Forces: Training

Dr. Fox
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much ammunition was allocated on all courses involved in the training of artillery personnel and forward observation officers to call in fire in each year since 2003; and what the cost of this ammunition was.

Mr. Bob Ainsworth
The quantity and cost of the 105 mm and 155 mm artillery ammunition allocated and fired at the Royal School of Artillery, Larkhill in support of phase 3 individual training is as follows:

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|Financial year|Quantity|Cost (£ million)|
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|2003-04       |20,541  |16.5            |
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|2004-05       |19,268  |16.5            |
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|2005-06       |19,169  |16.1            |
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|2006-07       |19,979  |14.0            |
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|2007-08       |10,950  |15.0            |
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|2008-09       |10,854  |13.2            |
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During 2007-08, RSA implemented changes to training course schedules that made more efficient use of ammunition. This dramatically reduces the amount of ammunition required, without impacting the quality of training provided, at a time when the cost of ammunition has risen sharply.