Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2017 to Question 116559, how many and what proportion of the strength of the Army Reserve were on Full Time Reserve Soldier contracts in (a) April 2013, (b) April 2014, (c) April 2015, (d) April 2016 and (e) April 2017; and what proportion of the number on each of those dates was (i) full and (ii) home commitment; and if he will make a statement.

The total strength of the Army Future Reserves 2020 as at April 2013, April 2014, April 2015 April 2016 and April 2017 are shown in the attached table, with the number and proportion who are on Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) contracts, and what proportion of the number on each of those dates was full and home commitment.

Notes

1. Future Reserves 2020 includes volunteer reserves who are mobilised, High Readiness Reserves and those volunteer reserves serving on Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) and Additional Duties Commitment (ADC). Sponsored Reserves who provide a more cost effective solution than volunteer reserve are also included in the Army Reserve FR20.

2. On 1st April 2012 and 1st April 2013 there were a very small numbers of Reserves on FTRS Limited Commitment contracts. These have been included in FTRS(Home Commitment).

3. Figures have been rounded to 10 for presentational purposes; numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias. Totals and sub-totals have been rounded separately and so may not appear to be the sum of their parts.