Does the British military have a problem with race? Find out how recruit numbers have changed since 2006
Does the British military have a problem with race? The most recent figures from the Defence Analytical Services and Advice (DASA) show that ethnic minorities make up only 6.6% of UK regular forces.
The figures examine trained and untrained personnel and excludes Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve Service personnel and mobilised reservists. The army have the highest number of personnel from ethnic minorities at 9.4% in 2010 whereas the number is much lower in the naval services at 3.4% and the royal air force at 2.1%
The results from the last census in 2001 showed that ethnic minorities made up 7.9% of the total UK population.
The DASA figures show small increases on the year in the number of ethnic minorities in both the naval forces and the RAF, the army however has seen the biggest rise - an increase of 690 between April 2009 and April 2010.
The table below shows the strength of the UK regular forces broken down by ethnicity for the years 2006-2010. The spreadsheet also includes data for July and October 2009 and January 2010.
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Strength of UK Regular Forces by ethnic origin 2006-2010 |
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| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | ||
| Service | Ethnicity | 1 April | 1 April | 1 April | 1 April | 1 April |
| All | Total | 195,850 | 190,400 | 187,060 | 188,370 | 191,660 |
| All | Ethnic Minorities | 10,180 | 10,360 | 10,600 | 11,380 | 12,170 |
| All | % Ethnic Minority | 5.5% | 5.80% | 6.10% | 6.50% | 6.60% |
| All | White | 173,710 | 167,310 | 164,250 | 164,610 | 172,850 |
| All | Unknown | 11,960 | 12,720 | 12,210 | 12,370 | 6,640 |
| Naval | Total | 39,390 | 38,860 | 38,570 | 38,340 | 38,730 |
| Naval |
Ethnic Minorities |
1,000 | 980 | 1,120 | 1,200 | 1,270 |
| Naval |
% Ethnic Minority |
2.60% | 2.70% | 3.10% | 3.30% | 3.40% |
| Naval | White | 37,260 | 35,490 | 35,690 | 35,280 | 35,920 |
| Naval | Unknown | 1,140 | 2,390 | 1,760 | 1,860 | 1,540 |
| Army | Total | 107,730 | 106,170 | 105,090 | 106,460 | 108,870 |
| Army |
Ethnic Minorities |
8,150 | 8,440 | 8,610 | 9,320 | 10,010 |
| Army |
% Ethnic Minority |
8.00% | 8.40% | 8.80% | 9.40% | 9.40% |
| Army | White | 93,490 | 92,000 | 89,620 | 89,850 | 95,980 |
| Army | Unknown | 6,090 | 5,730 | 6,860 | 7,300 | 2,890 |
| RAF | Total | 48,730 | 45,370 | 43,390 | 43,570 | 44,050 |
| RAF |
Ethnic Minorities |
1,040 | 940 | 870 | 870 | 890 |
| RAF |
% Ethnic Minority |
2.40% | 2.30% | 2.20% | 2.20% | 2.10% |
| RAF | White | 42,960 | 39,820 | 38,940 | 39,490 | 40,950 |
| RAF | Unknown | 4,730 | 4,610 | 3,590 | 3,210 | 2,210 |
| Source: dasa.mod.uk |
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