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PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Armed Forces: Young People (25 May 2016)

Question Asked

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many new recruits to the infantry were aged (a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 18 and above on enlistment in each financial year since 2007-08.

Asked by:
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru)

Answer

The number of new recruits to the infantry aged 16, 17, 18 and above on enlistment in each financial year since 2007-08 is shown in the following table:

Financial Year

Age on Enlistment

All Ages

16

17

18+

Total

33,120

5,000

5,170

22,950

2007-08

4,430

800

930

2,690

2008-09

4,900

820

820

3,260

2009-10

4,600

700

630

3,280

2010-11

3,320

660

440

2,220

2011-12

4,570

620

680

3,270

2012-13

3,840

370

560

2,900

2013-14

2,080

330

360

1,390

2014-15

2,710

320

400

1,980

2015-16

2,690

380

350

1,960

Data Source Defence Statistics

The figures are for Regular Army Other Ranks only and therefore exclude Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve Service and Mobilised Reserves.

Age on enlistment is derived from date of birth and the flow date of entries.

Figures have been rounded to 10 to limit disclosure and ensure confidentiality; 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.


Answered by:
Penny Mordaunt (Conservative)
6 June 2016

Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.