Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Armed Forces Recruitment

Monday 19 February 2024 · 10 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 5 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial Department applying measures to support recruitment and retention in the armed forces.
  • Local commanders can access an approved funding pot for minor maintenance works up to 25,000 per item.
  • Programme for cadet expansion has seen a 400% increase in state sector units since 2012.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Louie French Con Old Bexley and Sidcup
Defence
Context

The question addresses ongoing efforts by the Department to recruit new members into the armed forces.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to recruit armed forces personnel?

Answer from Andrew Murrison

In a challenging labour market, we continue to apply an array of measures to support recruitment and retention. These include the biggest pay rise in 20 years, flexible service and an improved accommodation offer.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify concrete figures or timeline for new initiatives.

How: Under Review, Working On It

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Q2 Jerome Mayhew Con Broadland and Fakenham
Policing & Resources
Context

The quality of forces accommodation is a critical factor for recruitment and retention. The question seeks clarification on local commanders' authority in addressing minor maintenance issues.

Question

Will he consider giving local commanders greater agency in getting small repairs done locally if the national contractors fail to act quickly enough?

Answer from Andrew Murrison

Heads of establishment can access an approved funding pot to address minor maintenance works, up to a maximum value of £25,000 per item.

Answered
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Q3 Sarah Atherton
Employment Veterans
Context

There is a net loss of servicewomen, with seven experienced personnel leaving for each five recruited. The question seeks specific measures to improve retention rates.

Question

Can the Minister outline what he is doing on retention?

Answer from Andrew Murrison

Over the past two years, a range of initiatives have been developed and delivered to support servicewomen. This includes uniform policies, accessible sanitary products, mentoring, flexible service, wraparound childcare, parental leave, and zero tolerance of unacceptable behaviour.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific numbers or deadlines for new initiatives.

How: Under Review

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Q4 Stephen Crabb Con
Defence Wales
Context

The armed forces provide career opportunities and the question highlights concerns about nationalist efforts to stop these visits.

Question

Does my right hon. Friend agree that we need to encourage Army visits to schools and that nationalists in Wales damage social mobility?

Answer from Andrew Murrison

The armed forces are a huge engine for social mobility. In the last year, over 5,000 school engagement visits across the UK were achieved at schools' request.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specifics on obstacles or plans to overcome them.

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Q5 Louie French Con Old Bexley and Sidcup
Education Defence
Context

The question addresses the progress of cadet expansion and pathways into HM armed forces.

Question

Will the Minister update the House on progress on the cadet expansion programme?

Answer from Andrew Murrison

The joint Ministry of Defence and Department for Education cadet expansion programme is progressing extremely well. Over 54,000 cadets are in school cadet units with a 400% increase in state sector units since 2012 to 268 schools.

Answered
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Q6 Alistair Strathern Lab Hitchin
Defence
Context

Local service personnel cite issues in service accommodation as a barrier to recruitment and retention. The question addresses specific concerns about single-living accommodations.

Question

Will the Minister commit to revisiting that decision to ensure we do right by all service personnel serving on the base before it closes?

Answer from Andrew Murrison

The Government are committed to improving the quality of both service-family and single-living accommodation. Huge investment has been made to remedy this issue.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific plans or timelines for improvements.

How: Committed To

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Q7 Barry Sheerman Lab
Policing & Resources Defence
Context

The question criticizes the reduction in serving personnel since 2010, citing it as a barrier to recruitment.

Question

Why would people join the British Army when this Government have run us down to 72,000 serving personnel?

Answer from Andrew Murrison

I suggest the hon. Gentleman has a word with the shadow Ministers on his Front Bench, particularly the shadow Chancellor who, to date, has failed to commit to the level of spending on the defence of this country to which the Government are completely committed.

Not addressed: Did not address question substance directly, instead criticized opposition.

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Q8 Andrew Bridgen Con
Standards & Ethics Veterans
Context

The rise of so-called “woke” culture is seen as a barrier to recruiting the right sort of people into the military.

Question

Does the Minister think that the rise of 'woke' makes it easier or more difficult to recruit the right sort of people?

Answer from Andrew Murrison

I completely reject the premise of the hon. Gentleman's question. If he is talking about increasing the number of women in our armed forces, Lord Etherton's review into LGBT personnel in our armed forces historically, or our ambition to make our armed forces more reflective of society, then I am guilty as charged.

Not addressed: Did not address question substance directly.

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Q9 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Defence
Context

The number of personnel in Territorial Army regiments is capped, and the questioner wants to ensure that recruitment can exceed these numbers.

Question

The Minister and others will be aware that recruitment across Northern Ireland to the Army, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy has always been exceptional. However, the number of personnel in Territorial Army regiments is set at a figure that those regiments cannot go above. Will the Minister look at increasing the number of TA soldiers to ensure that recruitment in Northern Ireland can exceed the current numbers?

Answer from Andrew Murrison

I pay tribute to the people of Northern Ireland who, as the hon. Gentleman says, have disproportionately contributed to the defence of our country. He will know that we are committed to growing our reserve forces across the United Kingdom.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific request to increase TA soldiers was not addressed with concrete actions or timelines.

How: Commitment Without Specifics

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Q10 Luke Pollard Labour (Co-op) Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
Defence
Context

The questioner notes significant cuts to the military, including fewer troops, sailors, aircraft and ships over the past 14 years. The Labour Party criticizes the government for missing recruitment targets since 2010.

Question

We have 24,000 fewer troops, 4,000 fewer sailors, 200 fewer aircraft and the removal of one in five ships. The Conservatives have failed our armed forces over the past 14 years, missing their recruitment target every year since taking power in 2010 and hollowing out our military. Does the Minister honestly believe that he can look the public in the eye and claim that five more years will fix the mess that they have created, or is it time for a fresh start?

Answer from Andrew Murrison

Oh, I think the hon. Gentleman knows what I am going to say in response to his question, and that is to invite him to have a conversation with the shadow Chancellor to see whether she will commit to the same level of spending on defence that this Government are committed to and, indeed, are spending right now. Will he make a spending commitment here and now in the House of Commons? If so, I am all ears.

Not addressed: The questioner's challenge was not directly addressed; instead, the minister invited Labour to commit to defence spending levels.

How: Shifting Blame

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