Corporate report

Ministry of Defence Votes A: 2021 to 2022 (accessible version)

Published 4 February 2021

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Presented to the House of Commons by the Secretary of State for Defence by Command of Her Majesty Ordered by The House of Commons to be printed 4th February 2021

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Ministry of Defence Votes A 2021-22


These Votes A seek Parliamentary authority for the maximum numbers of personnel to be maintained for service with the Armed Forces during the year ending 31st March 2022. These numbers do not constitute the Workforce Requirement or the Strength of the Armed Forces, which is published separately in the UK Armed Forces Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics. Other Ministry of Defence Requests for Resources appear as Supply Estimates.

Signed by:

The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP

Ministry of Defence

4th February 2021

Vote A (Navy) I: Maximum Number of Officers, Men and Women to be Maintained for the Service in the Regular Naval and Marine Forces

Thirty eight thousand and nine hundred (38,900)

2020-2021 2021-2022
Officers Men and Women Total   Officers Men and Women Total
7,000 22,500 29,500 Royal Navy 7,000 23,700 30,700
1,000 7,200 8,200 Royal Marines 1,000 7,200 8,200
8,000 29,700 37,700 Total 8,000 30,900 38,900

Notes

  1. This Table of the Vote fixes the maximum number of officers, men and women of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, including those on terminal leave, who may be maintained for naval service at any time during the year.

  2. The maximum number includes a margin of 10% to cover unforeseen contingencies.

  3. The number includes personnel on loan service with government departments or other governments and personnel serving in international defence organisations.

  4. Naval service does not have officers designate.

Vote A (Navy) II: Maximum Number of Officers, Men and Women to be Maintained for Service in the Reserve Naval and Marines Forces

(excluding those to be maintained as special members of these forces under Part V of the Reserve Forces Act 1996)

Twenty three thousand, two hundred and ten (23,210)

2021-2022
Officers Men and Women Total
Royal Fleet Reserve (naval officers and ratings) 4,960 9,000 13,960
Royal Fleet Reserve (marine officers and marines) 470 2,610 3,080
Royal Naval Reserve 1,400 2,300 3,700
Royal Marines Reserve 120 1,250 1,370
Royal Naval Reserve (List 7) 1,100 - 1,100
Total 8,050 15,160 23,210

Notes

  1. Those maintained on List 7 of the Royal Naval Reserve include Royal Naval Reserve temporary officers recruited to assist with University Royal Naval Units (URNUs), URNU undergraduates and members of the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme (DTUS). List 7 personnel do not have a call out liability.

  2. The Reserve Forces Act 1996 introduced three new categories of the Reservist: Full-Time Reserve Service, Additional Duties Commitment and High Readiness Reserve. The following notes detail the maxima of personnel in these categories. These maxima are included in the totals shown in Table II above:

3. Numbers of members of each force who may at any time be in full-time service under section 24 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996: Officers Men and Women Total
- In the Royal Fleet Reserve as naval officers and ratings 180 600 780
- In the Royal Fleet Reserve as marine officers and marines 40 150 190
- In the Royal Naval Reserve 180 135 315
- In the Royal Marines Reserve 35 100 135
Total in the reserve naval and marine forces who may at any time be in full-time service under section 24 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 435 985 1,420
4. Numbers of members of each force who may at any time be subject to additional duties commitment under section 25 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996: Officers Men and Women Total
- In the Royal Fleet Reserve as naval officers and ratings 40 15 55
- In the Royal Fleet Reserve as marine officers and marines 15 10 25
- In the Royal Naval Reserve 40 40 80
- In the Royal Marines Reserve 30 40 70
Total in the reserve naval and marine forces who may at any time be subject to additional duties commitments under section 25 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 125 105 230
5. Numbers of members of each force who may at any time be liable for call-out under special agreements as members of the High Readiness Reserve under Part IV of the Reserve Forces Act 1996: Officers Men and Women Total
- In the Royal Fleet Reserve as naval officers and ratings 15 40 55
- In the Royal Fleet Reserve as marine officers and marines 5 20 25
- In the Royal Naval Reserve 20 30 50
- In the Royal Marines Reserve 10 30 40
Total in the reserve naval and marine forces who may at any time be liable for call-out under special agreements as members of the High Readiness Reserve under Part IV of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 50 120 170

Vote A (Navy) III: Maximum Number of Officers, Men and Women to be Maintained for Service as Special Members of the Reserve Naval Forces under Part V of the Reserve Forces Act 1996

Two thousand, four hundred and seventy (2,470)

2021-2022
Officers Men and Women Total
Royal Naval Reserve 850 1,620 2,470
Total 850 1,620 2,470

Notes

  1. Members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) have a liability to become Special Members of the Reserve Naval Forces. Existing RFA personnel may become Special Reservists on a voluntary basis whereas new entrants are automatically enlisted as part of their terms and conditions of service.

Vote A (Army) I: Maximum Number of Officers, Men and Women to be Maintained for Army Service

One hundred and eight thousand, four hundred and twenty (108,420)

2020-2021 2021-2022
Officers Men and Women Total   Officers Men and Women Total
14,490 88,500 102,990 Army (Other than Services below) 14,610 88,550 103,160
190 4,670 4,860 Commonwealth, Colonial, &c., troops abroad and Gurkhas 190 5,070 5,260
14,680 93,170 107,850 Total 14,800 93,620 108,420

Notes

  1. This Table of the Vote fixes the maximum number of officers, men and women including those on terminal leave and also young and junior soldiers, who may be maintained for army service at any time during the year.

  2. The maximum number includes a margin of 10% to cover unforeseen contingencies.

  3. The number includes personnel on loan service with government departments or other governments and personnel serving in international defence organisations.

  4. Officers includes up to 890 officers designate.

Vote A (Army) II: Maximum Number of Officers, Men and Women to be Maintained for Service in the Reserve Land Forces

(excluding those to be maintained as special members of these forces under Part V of the Reserve Forces Act 1996)

Seventy eight thousand, three hundred and forty (78,340)

2021-2022
Officers Men and Women Total
Army Regular Reserve 8,830 23,180 32,010
Army Reserve 9,900 36,430 46,330
Total 18,730 59,610 78,340

Notes

  1. The totals of the Army Reserve include officers, men and women employed full-time but not Regular Army members of permanent staff who are included in Table 1.

  2. The Defence Reform Act 2014 renamed the Army Reserve as the Regular Reserve and renamed the Territorial Army as the Army Reserve.

  3. The Reserve Forces Act 1996 introduced three new categories of Reservist: Full-Time Reserve Service, Additional Duties Commitment and High Readiness Reserve. The following notes detail the maxima of personnel in these categories. These maxima are included in the totals shown in Table II above.

4. Numbers of members of each force who may at any time be in full-time service under section 24 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996: Officers Men and Women Total
- In the Army Regular Reserve 1,420 3,130 4,550
- In the Army Reserve 870 2,380 3,250
Total in the reserve land forces who may at any time be in full-time service under section 24 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 2,290 5,510 7,800
5. Numbers of members of each force who may at any time be subject to additional duties commitments under section 25 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996: Officers Men and Women Total
- In the Army Regular Reserve 3,220 3,240 6,460
- In the Army Reserve 4,620 6,030 10,650
Total in the reserve land forces who may at any time be subject to additional duties commitments under section 25 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 7,840 9,270 17,110
6. Numbers of members of each force who may at any time be liable for call-out under special agreements as members of the High Readiness reserve under Part IV of the Reserve Forces Act 1996: Officers Men and Women Total
- In the Army Regular Reserve 40 150 190
- In the Army Reserve 60 440 500
Total in the reserve land forces who may at any time be liable for call-out under special agreements as members of the High Readiness reserve under Part IV of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 100 590 690

Vote A (Army) III: Maximum Number of Officers, Men and Women to be Maintained for Service as Special Members of the Reserve Land Forces under Part V of the Reserve Forces Act 1996

Seven hundred and ten (710)

2021-2022
Officers Men and Women Total
Army Regular Reserve 20 130 150
Army Reserve 20 540 560
Total 40 670 710

Vote A (Air Force) I: Maximum Number of Officers, Men and Women to be Maintained for Air Force Service

Thirty six thousand and four hundred (36,400)

2020-2021 2021-2022
Officers Men and Women Total   Officers Men and Women Total
8,600 27,800 36,400 Royal Air Force 8,600 27,800 36,400
8,600 27,800 36,400 Total 8,600 27,800 36,400

Notes

  1. This Table of the Vote fixes the maximum number of officers, men and women, including those on terminal leave, who may be maintained for air force service at any time during the year.

  2. The maximum number includes a margin of 10% to cover unforeseen contingencies.

  3. The number includes personnel on loan service with government departments or other governments and personnel serving in international defence organisations.

Vote A (Air Force) II: Maximum Number of Officers, Men and Women to be Maintained for Service in the Reserve Air Forces

(excluding those to be maintained as special members of these forces under Part V of the Reserve Forces Act 1996)

Eighteen thousand and three hundred (18,300)

2021-2022
Officers Men and Women Total
Royal Air Force Reserve 4,500 9,000 13,500
Royal Auxiliary Air Force 950 3,850 4,800
Total 5,450 12,850 18,300

Notes

  1. The maximum for the Royal Air Force Reserve includes 300 officers and 5,800 men and women who have a Reserve liability, 3,000 officers in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training) for the purposes of service with the Air Training Corps, Air Experience Flight, Combined Cadet Force and Volunteer Gliding Schools. The Royal Air Force Reserve men and women category includes 1,100 officer cadets serving with the University Air Squadrons.

  2. The Reserve Forces Act 1996 introduced three new categories of Reservist: Full-Time Reserve Service, Additional Duties Commitment and High Readiness Reserve. The following notes detail the maxima of personnel in these categories. These maxima are included in the totals shown in Table II above.

3. Numbers of members of each force who may at any time be in full-time service under Section 24 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996: Officers Men and Women Total
- In the Royal Air Force Reserve 580 710 1,290
- In the Royal Auxiliary Air Force 120 350 470
Total in the reserve air forces who may at any time be in full-time service under Section 24 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996: 700 1,060 1,760
4. Numbers of members of each force who may at any time be subject to additional duties commitments under Section 25 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996: Officers Men and Women Total
- In the Royal Air Force Reserve 110 50 160
- In the Royal Auxiliary Air Force 30 30 60
Total in the reserve air forces who may at any time be subject to additional duties commitments under Section 25 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996: 140 80 220
5. Numbers of members of each force who may at any time be liable for call-out under special agreements as members of the High Readiness Reserve under Part IV of the Reserve Forces Act 1996: Officers Men and Women Total
- In the Royal Air Force Reserve - - -
- In the Royal Auxiliary Air Force 40 60 100
Total in the reserve air forces who may at any time be liable for call-out under special agreements as members of the High Readiness Reserve under Part IV of the Reserve Forces Act 1996: 40 60 100

Vote A (Air Force) III: Maximum Number of Officers, Men and Women to be Maintained for Service as Special Members of the Reserve Air Forces under Part V of the Reserve Forces Act 1996

Two hundred and eighty (280)

2021-2022
Officers Men and Women Total
Royal Air Force Reserve 100 180 280
Royal Auxiliary Air Force - - -
Total 100 180 280