Does the time spent doing a PhD count towards research experience for job applications? There's a job application (UK based) which says something about having to have around 2 or 3 years research experience, but not necessarily have obtained a PhD.

What if I have a PhD and 2.5 years research experience postdoc? Does the PhD also count towards the "research years" ? I increasingly view a PhD as "training" rather than "research"...

EDIT

Of course there is a research element to any PhD, but the emphasis is on training to become an effective researcher.
Typically, time spent as a graduate student counts at least to some degree as research / professional experience.  For example, the IEEE counts education culminating in a Ph.D. as five years of "professional practice," no matter how many more years it may have actually taken you.  Those 2.5 years of postdoc most definitely count, though, so it seems quite reasonable for you to apply.