Chapter 2 - Personnel
                                     
Table 2.2 Location of Service and civilian personnel1,2 in the United Kingdom, at 1 April each year
The strength of UK-based civilian personnel is almost unchanged since 2009, but has decreased by almost 33% since 1997. The total strength of MOD personnel based in Northern Ireland has continued to reduce, falling by 3.5% since last year. Since 1997, the number of Service personnel stationed in Northern Ireland has been reduced by over 60%, from 11,460 to 4,140, whilst the civilian strength has fallen by almost 40% during the same period from 3,150 to 1,930.

The South East Government Office Region has the largest population of UK Service personnel, with 44,850, although the South West has the largest population of civilians, with 22,570.
Number: FTE
    1997 3     2000 3   2006   2007   2008 4 2009   2010  
United Kingdom
 276 890       267 700   || 248 710   239 490 p 231 550 p 233 330 p 236 680 p
 
Service
 171 570       170 300     165 710   161 390 p 158 660 p 162 710 p 166 060 p
 
Civilian
 105 320       97 410   || 83 000   78 110   72 900   70 620   70 610  
                                     
England
 229 420       222 560   || 211 870   207 580 p 202 900 p 204 440 p 207 860 p
 
Service
 142 640       143 040     142 130   141 390 p 140 310 p 143 580 p 146 920 p
 
Civilian
 86 780       79 520   || 69 740   66 200   62 590   60 860   60 940  
Wales
 8 440       8 260   || 6 310   5 010 p 4 800 p 4 730 p 4 900 p
 
Service
 3 330       3 220     3 260   2 590 p 2 640 p 2 720 p 2 930 p
 
Civilian
 5 100       5 040   || 3 050   2 420   2 170   2 010   1 970  
Scotland
 24 170       24 680   || 20 440   19 200 p 17 960 p 17 880 p 17 830 p
 
Service
 13 890       15 080     13 520   12 640 p 11 970 p 12 020 p 12 070 p
 
Civilian
 10 280       9 600   || 6 920   6 550   5 990   5 860   5 760  
Northern Ireland
 14 610       11 640   || 10 090   7 700 p 5 890 p 6 280 p 6 070 p
 
Service
 11 460       8 390     6 800   4 770 p 3 740 p 4 390 p 4 140 p
 
Civilian
 3 150       3 250   || 3 290   2 940   2 150   1 890   1 930  
Source: DASA(Quad-Service)
Service and Civilian personnel1,2 by Government Office Region
 
 
                      
Number: FTE
  Service   Civilian
2009   2010   % change     2009 2010 % change
United Kingdom
 162 710 p 166 060 p 2.0 p   70 620 70 610 -
                       
England
 143 580 p 146 920 p 2.3 p   60 860 60 940 0.1
 
East of England
 18 160 p 18 700 p 2.9 p   6 370 6 190 -2.9
 
East Midlands
 9 460 p 9 670 p 2.2 p   2 450 2 500 1.9
 
London
 5 640 p 5 730 p 1.6 p   4 980 4 700 -5.7
 
North East
 1 400 p 1 450 p 3.3 p   490 490 -1.9
 
North West
 2 290 p 2 310 p 0.9 p   2 520 2 460 -2.5
 
South East
 46 010 p 44 850 p -2.6 p   13 790 13 530 -1.9
 
South West
 39 280 p 41 800 p 6.0 p   22 010 22 570 2.5
 
West Midlands
 6 500 p 7 200 p 9.7 p   4 400 4 630 5.2
 
Yorkshire and The Humber
 14 730 p 15 230 p 3.3 p   3 830 3 870 1.2
Wales
 2 720 p 2 930 p 7.0 p   2 010 1 970 -1.7
Scotland
 12 020 p 12 070 p 4.0 p   5 860 5 760 -1.7
Northern Ireland
 4 390 p 4 140 p -5.9 p   1 890 1 930 2.3
Source: DASA(Quad-Service)
1. Service personnel figures are for UK Regular Forces based in the UK. They include all trained and untrained Personnel and exclude Gurkhas, Full Time
    Reserve Service personnel and mobilised reservists.
2. Civilian personnel includes Trading Fund staff and exclude RFAs and LECs.
3. 1997 and 2000 figures are as at 1 July.
4. At 1 April 2008 the Defence Aviation Repair Agency and the Army Base Repair Organization merged to form the Defence Support Group and around
    1,000 personnel transferred to the Vector Aerospace Corporation.