Corporate report

Ministry of Defence Votes A: 2024 to 2025 (accessible version)

Published 28 February 2024

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

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1. Ministry of Defence Votes A 2024-25

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 2024. 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.

Ministry of Defence

The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP

28 February 2024

2. 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 nine thousand, Six hundred and fifty (39,650)

	2023-2024				2024-2025
Officers	Men and Women	Total		Officers	Men and Women	Total
7,000	24,350	31,350	Royal Navy	7,000	24,350	31,350
1,000	7,200	8,200	Royal Marines	1,100	7,200	8,300
8,000	31,550	39,550	Total	8,100	31,550	39,650

2.1 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.

3. 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, four hundred and twenty (23,420)

		2024-2025
	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	1,500	2,300	3,800
Royal Marines Reserve	120	1,250	1,370
Royal Naval Reserve (List 7)	1,210	-	1,210
Total	8,260	15,160	23,420

3.1 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	200	700	900
- In the Royal Fleet Reserve as marine officers and marines	50	200	250
- 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	465	1,135	1,600

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	50	15	65
- In the Royal Fleet Reserve as marine officers and marines	15	10	25
- In the Royal Naval Reserve	100	40	140
- 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	195	105	300

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

4. 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)

		2024-2025
	Officers	Men and Women	Total
Royal Naval Reserve	850	1,620	2,470
Total	850	1,620	2,470

4.1 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.

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

Ninety seven two thousand, seven hundred and ten (97,710)

	2023-2024				2024-2025
Officers	Men and Women	Total		Officers	Men and Women	Total
15,130	82,000	97,130	Army (Other than Services below)	14,430	78,220	92,650
220	4,900	5,120	Commonwealth, Colonial, &c., troops abroad and Gurkhas	220	4,840	5,060
15,350	86,900	102,250	Total	14,650	83,060	97,710

5.1 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 850 officers designate.

6. 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)

Sixty seven thousand, three hundred and ten (67,310)

		2024-2025
	Officers	Men and Women	Total
Army Regular Reserve	7,740	19,050	26,790
Army Reserve	9,020	31,500	40,520
Total	16,760	50,550	67,310

6.1 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	840	2,080	2,920
- In the Army Reserve	860	1,840	2,700
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	1,700	3,920	5,620

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	1,680	1,700	3,380
- In the Army Reserve	2,520	3,930	6,450
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	4,200	5,630	9,830

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

7. 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

Nine hundred and ten (910)

		2024-2025
	Officers	Men and Women	Total
Army Regular Reserve	20	130	150
Army Reserve	20	740	760
Total	40	870	910

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

Thirty five thousand and eight hundred (35,800)

	2023-2024				2024-2025
Officers	Men and Women	Total		Officers	Men and Women	Total
8,700	27,800	36,500	Royal Air Force	8,800	27,000	35,800
8,700	27,800	36,500	Total	8,800	27,000	35,800

8.1 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.

9. 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)

Seventeen thousand and four hundred and fifty (17,450)

		2024-2025
	Officers	Men and Women	Total
Royal Air Force Reserve	4,500	8,500	13,000
Royal Auxiliary Air Force	950	3,500	4,450
Total	5,450	12,000	17,450

9.1 Notes

1. The maximum for the Royal Air Force Reserve includes 350 officers and 5,200 men and women who have a Reserve liability, 3,150 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 1,200 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

10. 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 fifty (250)

		2024-2025
	Officers	Men and Women	Total
Royal Air Force Reserve	100	150	250
Royal Auxiliary Air Force	-	-	-
Total	100	150	250