answer text |
<p>Further to the table provided to you in my letter of 7 February, the British Army
regiments which have been disbanded since 2010 have been listed below.</p><p> </p><p>As
noted in that letter, this information represents single Service estimates based on
management information which is not gathered for statistical purposes or subject to
the same level of scrutiny as official statistics produced by Defence Statistics.
I have attached an updated table to reflect minor discrepancies in the original which
were observed during further analysis.</p><p> </p><p>Within the Royal Armoured Corps,
the 1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup> Royal Tank Regiments were merged to become The
Royal Tank Regiment in 2014. The Queen’s Royal Lancers merged with the 9th/12th Royal
Lancers (Prince of Wales’s) to become the Royal Lancers in 2015. For the Reserves,
the Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry was placed in suspended animation in 2014.
The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry was created in the same year.</p><p> </p><p>Within
the Army Air Corps, 9<sup>th</sup> Regiment Army Air Corps was disbanded as a front-line
regiment in 2016 and re-established as a flying regiment in 2018.</p><p> </p><p>Within
the Royal Artillery, 40<sup>th</sup> Regiment Royal Artillery was placed into suspended
animation in 2012 as was 39<sup>th</sup> Regiment in 2015. For the Reserves, 100 (Yeomanry)
Regiment Royal Artillery was placed in suspended animation in 2014.</p><p> </p><p>The
table below has been updated for the Royal Engineers. Within this Corps, 25 Engineer
Regiment was disbanded in 2012 as was 38 Engineer Regiment in 2013. 28 Engineer Regiment
was disbanded in 2014 but re-established in 2018. For the Reserves, both 72 and 73
Engineer Regiments disbanded in 2014. There were also two hybridised regiments; 101
Engineer Regiment and 33 Engineer Regiment. 101 Engineer Regiment became a Reserve
regiment in 2018 and 33 Engineer Regiment became Regular regiment.</p><p> </p><p>Within
the Royal Signals, 7 Signal Regiment disbanded in 2012. 15 Signal Regiment was re-formed
in 2015 and 13 Signal Regiment in 2020. For the Reserves, 38 Signal Regiment disbanded
in 2015.</p><p> </p><p>The table below has been updated for the Royal Electrical Mechanical
Engineers (REME). Within this Regiment, 5 Battalion REME was formed in 2013. In 2015,
10 Battalion REME and 11 Battalion REME merged to become 8 Battalion REME. For the
Reserves, 104 Battalion REME was disbanded in 2013. This was then re-established in
2015 along with 105 and 106 Battalions. However, in 2018, 104 Battalion merged with
103, 105 Battalion merged with 101, and 106 Battalion merged with 102.</p><p> </p><p>The
table below has been updated for the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC). Within this Corps,
8 Regiment RLC was disbanded in 2012. 12 Logistic Support Regiment was disbanded in
2013. 2 Logistic Support Regiment, 23 and 24 Regiment RLC were disbanded in 2014.
5 Training Regiment RLC disbanded in 2016 and 3 Regiment RLC in 2023. For the Reserves,
88 Postal and Courier Regiment, 155 and 160 Transport Regiments, 166 Supply Regiment
and 168 Pioneer Regiment were disbanded in 2014.</p><p> </p><p>Within the Royal Army
Medical Corps, 2 Medical Regiment and 33 Field Hospital were disbanded in 2018. 3
Medical Regiment disbanded in 2022 when a number of re-designations took place. For
the Reserves, in 2023, 225 (Scottish) Medical Regiment merged with 205 (Scottish)
Field Hospital, 253 (Northern Ireland) Medical Regiment merged with 204 (Northern
Ireland) Field Hospital, 201 Field Hospital merged with 212 Field Hospital and 207
Field Hospital merged with 208 Field Hospital.</p><p> </p><p>Within the Royal Military
Police, 4 and 5 Regiments Royal Military Police disbanded in 2020 and the Special
Operations Regiment was formed. The Special Investigations Branch Regiment was subsumed
into the Defence Serious Crimes Unit[1] on its formation in 2023.</p><p> </p><p>No
Regiments within the Army’s Infantry, Intelligence Corps or Veterinary Corps have
been disbanded or merged since 2010.</p><p> </p><p>The Royal Marines is organised
into Commando Units rather than Regiments and none have been disbanded since 2010.</p><p>
</p><p><strong>British Army Regiments (2010-2023)</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p><strong>2010</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2015</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2016</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2018</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2019</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2020</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2021</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2022</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2023</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total
Regular</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>126</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>126</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>122</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>121</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>117</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>115</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>113</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>113</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>114</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>114</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>114</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>115</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>115</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>113</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total
Reserve</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>73</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>73</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>73</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>72</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>67</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>69</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>69</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>69</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>67</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>67</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>67</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>67</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>67</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>63</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Combat
Forces</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Infantry</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Regular
Regiments</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>18</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Reserve
Regiments</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Royal
Armoured Corps</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Regular Army Regiments</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10</p></td><td><p>10</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Army
Reserves Regiments</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Army
Air Corps</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Regular Army Regiments</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Army
Reserves Regiments</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Combat
Support Forces</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Royal Artillery</strong></p></td><td><p>
</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Regular Army Regiments</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Army
Reserves Regiments</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>7</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Royal
Engineers</strong><strong><strong>[2]</strong></strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Regular
Army Regiments</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hybrid
Regiments (Reg & Res)</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Army
Reserves Regiments</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Royal
Signals</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Regular Army Regiments</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>13</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Army
Reserves Regiments</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Intelligence
Corps</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Regular Army Regiments</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Army
Reserves Regiments</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Royal
Army Veterinary Corps</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Regular Army
Regiments</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Army
Reserve Regiments</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Combat
Service Support</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong> Royal Electrical
and Mechanical Engineers</strong><strong><strong>[3]</strong></strong><strong><strong>[4]</strong></strong></p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Regular
Army Battalions</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Army
Reserves Battalions</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>
Royal Logistic Corps</strong><strong><strong>[5]</strong></strong></p></td><td><p>
</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Regular Army Regiments</p></td><td><p>19</p></td><td><p>19</p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>13</p></td><td><p>12</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Army
Reserves Regiments</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>12</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Royal
Army Medical Corps</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Regular Army
Regiments</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>9</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Army
Reserves Regiments</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>12</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Royal
Military Police</strong></p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Regular Army Regiments</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Army
Reserves Regiments</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>[1] The Defence Serious Crimes Unit does not belong to the Army, it is part
of the Defence Serious Crime Command (DSCC) within the Ministry of Defence.</p><p>[2]
RE data for years 2010-2011 and 2014-2017 for Regulars, 2014-2018 for Reserves and
additional hybrid regiments has changed since the original answer of 7 Feb.</p><p>[3]
The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) are organised at unit level into
Battalions, rather than Regiments. This represents a distinction in naming convention
rather than difference in workforce requirement or operational outputs.</p><p>[4]
REME data for years 2013, 2015 and 2018 for the Reserves has changed since the original
answer of 7 Feb.</p><p>[5] RLC data for years 2012-2015 for the Regulars has changed
since the original answer of 7 Feb.</p>
|
|