Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to changing the policies determining retirement dates for members of the Armed Forces.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The single Services have responsibility for setting their own retirement ages.
Royal Navy
With the exception of Medical, Dental and Nursing Officers who can serve up to age 60 in some cases, retirement age in the Royal Navy is typically age 55. Service beyond age 55 to age 60 or beyond is offered on a case-by-case basis in order to meets the needs of the Service. The Royal Navy is considering implementing a retirement age of 60 for all personnel but has not yet undertaken the work needed to determine the implications and cost of doing so.
Army
There is no single retirement age for Army personnel; retirement age varies depending on the commitment made with each Service Person. Engagements of differing lengths are offered to accommodate the operational needs and outputs of the Army together with the requirement to maintain the structure of a hierarchical organisation. Individuals may apply to serve beyond 60 where there is a Service need including senior staff officer appointments, deep specialists, and full-time reserve service contracts. Retirement age is frequently reviewed in light of changing Defence tasks, the needs of the Army and the benefit of Service Personnel, whilst aligning them with changes to Armed Forces Pension Schemes.
Royal Air Force (RAF)
The RAF carries out an annual review of its Terms and Conditions of Service legislation to ensure that it remains fit for purpose and provides the right personnel support required to achieve its operational commitment. This includes the engagements, commissions, and consequential retirement dates of its personnel. Although no changes are currently planned, we continually assess this policy to ensure it provides the appropriate platform from which the RAF can deliver its operational output. Individuals can have their service extended beyond their mandatory end-of-service date based on an exceptional Service need.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reintroduce local recruiting offices for the Armed Forces.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Armed Forces Careers Offices (AFCO) continue to provide core support to the Armed Forces' national recruiting activities. The geographic footprint of AFCO across the UK is complemented by dedicated call centres and online recruiting operations, ensuring that members of rural or isolated communities have the same opportunity to apply to the Armed Forces as anyone else. In addition, the Services conduct outreach engagement programmes across the whole of the UK, delivering events such as career fairs and roadshows, supported by web-based information services and social media campaigns. These recruitment activities are further supported through strategic partnerships such as with JobCentrePlus, who provide additional face-to-face touchpoints with potential applicants. The Armed Forces regularly review their recruiting activities and associated resource in accordance with the requirement.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to re-examine Capita’s involvement in recruitment in the Armed Forces.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
There are no plans to re-examine Capita’s involvement in recruitment in the Armed Forces. The Army will continue its Recruiting Partnering Project contract with Capita, which has been extended to March 2026.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many men and women were recruited into the armed forces reserves in each of the past five years; and how many vacancies are there currently.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Data on recruitment into the three Services is presented in the tables below.
The Integrated Review and Spending Review (IR/SR) introduced greater flexibility in how Defence could employ its workforce types (Armed Forces Regular, Reserve, Defence Civilian and Contractors). This has made the continued use of a fixed workforce requirement for individual components of the Whole Force less appropriate. We are in the process of agreeing a new Indicative Planned Strength (IPS) which reflects both the Whole Force Strategic Workforce plans that are being finalised and changes in organisational structure introduced following the IR/SR. Comparison of the IPS and published statistics on Armed Forces strength will make any shortfalls evident.
Table 1: UK Regular1 Personnel Intake2 by Gender4 in the past five years5 in each Service |
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| 1 Oct 2018 to 30 Sep 2019 | 1 Oct 2019 to 30 Sep 2020 | 1 Oct 2020 to 30 Sep 2021 | 1 Oct 2021 to 30 Sep 2022 | 1 Oct 2022 to 30 Sep 2023 |
Total | 14,880 | 14,590 | 17,070 | 11,980 | 10,470 |
Female | 1,600 | 1,630 | 1,940 | 1,420 | 1,220 |
Male | 13,280 | 12,960 | 15,130 | 10,570 | 9,250 |
RN/RM | 3,290 | 3,780 | 3,950 | 3,160 | 2,400 |
Female | 350 | 390 | 420 | 310 | 280 |
Male | 2,940 | 3,400 | 3,520 | 2,850 | 2,120 |
Army | 9,080 | 8,470 | 10,600 | 6,760 | 6,310 |
Female | 820 | 880 | 1,030 | 730 | 660 |
Male | 8,260 | 7,590 | 9,570 | 6,030 | 5,650 |
RAF | 2,510 | 2,330 | 2,520 | 2,060 | 1,760 |
Female | 440 | 360 | 490 | 380 | 280 |
Male | 2,080 | 1,970 | 2,040 | 1,680 | 1,480 |
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| Source: Analysis (Tri-Service) |
Table 2: FR203 Personnel Intake by Gender4 in the Past five Financial Years5 in each Service |
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| 1 Oct 2018 to 30 Sep 2019 | 1 Oct 2019 to 30 Sep 2020 | 1 Oct 2020 to 30 Sep 2021 | 1 Oct 2021 to 30 Sep 2022 | 1 Oct 2022 to 30 Sep 2023 |
Total | 5,710 | 5,020 | 5,700 | 3,720 | 3,780 |
Female | 900 | 760 | 950 | 600 | 540 |
Male | 4,820 | 4,270 | 4,750 | 3,120 | 3,240 |
RM/RN | 970 | 800 | 770 | 350 | 470 |
Female | 150 | 150 | 150 | 70 | 50 |
Male | 820 | 640 | 610 | 280 | 420 |
Army | 4,080 | 3,680 | 4,440 | 2,890 | 2,880 |
Female | 540 | 470 | 690 | 400 | 390 |
Male | 3,540 | 3,210 | 3,750 | 2,490 | 2,490 |
RAF | 660 | 550 | 500 | 480 | 430 |
Female | 200 | 130 | 110 | 130 | 100 |
Male | 460 | 420 | 390 | 350 | 330 |
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| Source: Analysis (Tri-Service) |
Notes/Caveats:
1. UK Regulars comprise Full time Service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service personnel, Gurkhas, mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service, Locally Engaged Personnel, Non Regular Permanent Staff, High Readiness Reserve and Expeditionary Forces Institute personnel. Unless otherwise stated, includes Trained and Untrained personnel.
2. Intake comprises all personnel joining the Armed Forces either as new entrants or re-entrants.
3. Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) includes Volunteer Reserves who are mobilised, High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Volunteer Reserve personnel serving on Additional Duties Commitment or Full Time Reserve Service contracts. Sponsored Reserves who provide a more cost effective solution than volunteer reserve are also included in the Army Reserve FR20. Non Regular Permanent Staff, Expeditionary Forces Institute, University Officer Cadets and Regular Reservists are excluded.
4. Gender is a self-reported field on the Joint Personnel Administration System.
5. The yearly Intake-Periods are defined as the 12 months ending 30 September for each respective year.
6. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 in line with disclosure control policy. Figures ending in 5 are rounded to the nearest 20 to avoid systematic bias. Please note that due to rounding, the total figures in the above tables may not equal the corresponding sum of figures for each Service.
7. These figures can be found in Tables 7 and 23 in the last five October Editions of the "UK Armed Forces Biannual Diversity Statistics" published on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-armed-forces-biannual-diversity-statistics-index
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many men and women were recruited into (1) the Army, (2) the Navy, and (3) the Air Force, in each of the past five years; and how many vacancies there are currently in each service.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Data on recruitment into the three Services is presented in the tables below.
The Integrated Review and Spending Review (IR/SR) introduced greater flexibility in how Defence could employ its workforce types (Armed Forces Regular, Reserve, Defence Civilian and Contractors). This has made the continued use of a fixed workforce requirement for individual components of the Whole Force less appropriate. We are in the process of agreeing a new Indicative Planned Strength (IPS) which reflects both the Whole Force Strategic Workforce plans that are being finalised and changes in organisational structure introduced following the IR/SR. Comparison of the IPS and published statistics on Armed Forces strength will make any shortfalls evident.
Table 1: UK Regular1 Personnel Intake2 by Gender4 in the past five years5 in each Service |
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| |||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 Oct 2018 to 30 Sep 2019 | 1 Oct 2019 to 30 Sep 2020 | 1 Oct 2020 to 30 Sep 2021 | 1 Oct 2021 to 30 Sep 2022 | 1 Oct 2022 to 30 Sep 2023 |
Total | 14,880 | 14,590 | 17,070 | 11,980 | 10,470 |
Female | 1,600 | 1,630 | 1,940 | 1,420 | 1,220 |
Male | 13,280 | 12,960 | 15,130 | 10,570 | 9,250 |
RN/RM | 3,290 | 3,780 | 3,950 | 3,160 | 2,400 |
Female | 350 | 390 | 420 | 310 | 280 |
Male | 2,940 | 3,400 | 3,520 | 2,850 | 2,120 |
Army | 9,080 | 8,470 | 10,600 | 6,760 | 6,310 |
Female | 820 | 880 | 1,030 | 730 | 660 |
Male | 8,260 | 7,590 | 9,570 | 6,030 | 5,650 |
RAF | 2,510 | 2,330 | 2,520 | 2,060 | 1,760 |
Female | 440 | 360 | 490 | 380 | 280 |
Male | 2,080 | 1,970 | 2,040 | 1,680 | 1,480 |
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| Source: Analysis (Tri-Service) |
Table 2: FR203 Personnel Intake by Gender4 in the Past five Financial Years5 in each Service |
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| 1 Oct 2018 to 30 Sep 2019 | 1 Oct 2019 to 30 Sep 2020 | 1 Oct 2020 to 30 Sep 2021 | 1 Oct 2021 to 30 Sep 2022 | 1 Oct 2022 to 30 Sep 2023 |
Total | 5,710 | 5,020 | 5,700 | 3,720 | 3,780 |
Female | 900 | 760 | 950 | 600 | 540 |
Male | 4,820 | 4,270 | 4,750 | 3,120 | 3,240 |
RM/RN | 970 | 800 | 770 | 350 | 470 |
Female | 150 | 150 | 150 | 70 | 50 |
Male | 820 | 640 | 610 | 280 | 420 |
Army | 4,080 | 3,680 | 4,440 | 2,890 | 2,880 |
Female | 540 | 470 | 690 | 400 | 390 |
Male | 3,540 | 3,210 | 3,750 | 2,490 | 2,490 |
RAF | 660 | 550 | 500 | 480 | 430 |
Female | 200 | 130 | 110 | 130 | 100 |
Male | 460 | 420 | 390 | 350 | 330 |
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|
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| Source: Analysis (Tri-Service) |
Notes/Caveats:
1. UK Regulars comprise Full time Service personnel, including Nursing Services, but excluding Full Time Reserve Service personnel, Gurkhas, mobilised Reservists, Military Provost Guard Service, Locally Engaged Personnel, Non Regular Permanent Staff, High Readiness Reserve and Expeditionary Forces Institute personnel. Unless otherwise stated, includes Trained and Untrained personnel.
2. Intake comprises all personnel joining the Armed Forces either as new entrants or re-entrants.
3. Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) includes Volunteer Reserves who are mobilised, High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Volunteer Reserve personnel serving on Additional Duties Commitment or Full Time Reserve Service contracts. Sponsored Reserves who provide a more cost effective solution than volunteer reserve are also included in the Army Reserve FR20. Non Regular Permanent Staff, Expeditionary Forces Institute, University Officer Cadets and Regular Reservists are excluded.
4. Gender is a self-reported field on the Joint Personnel Administration System.
5. The yearly Intake-Periods are defined as the 12 months ending 30 September for each respective year.
6. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 in line with disclosure control policy. Figures ending in 5 are rounded to the nearest 20 to avoid systematic bias. Please note that due to rounding, the total figures in the above tables may not equal the corresponding sum of figures for each Service.
7. These figures can be found in Tables 7 and 23 in the last five October Editions of the "UK Armed Forces Biannual Diversity Statistics" published on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-armed-forces-biannual-diversity-statistics-index
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on parliamentary accountability of the EU defence structures that the UK has joined since the EU referendum in 2016.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Government continues to ensure that parliamentary accountability for UK-EU defence cooperation is maintained. In addition to the public speeches made by the Prime Minister and the white paper of last July, the Government provided further clarification in September, in its response to the House of Commons Defence Committee report, on its proposals for a future security partnership with the EU. The Government has also participated in parliamentary debates or hearings on Permanent Structured Cooperation last April, Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) Operation Sophia last June, the European Defence Industrial Development Programme last November and on CSDP missions and operations in May this year. The Government will continue to provide regular updates to both European Scrutiny Committees in Parliament.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment she has made of the merits of UK participation in EU defence structures after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
As we leave the EU, we remain committed to playing a leading role on Euro-Atlantic security. NATO remains the cornerstone of our defence. Nonetheless, the UK and the EU will continue to face common threats, which are evolving and growing in complexity, and we share the same values. That is why we have agreed the outline terms, through the Political Declaration, of a flexible and scalable future UK-EU security partnership to cooperate as a sovereign third country with EU partners on a case-by-case basis where there is a clear shared interest.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions she has had with the UK Permanent Representative EU on the EU Council meeting on security and defence on 17 June 2019.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Ministry of Defence officials regularly engage with the UK Permanent Representative to the European Union on a number of issues. I was not present at the EU Foreign Affairs Council Meeting on 17 June 2019 but met with the UK Permanent Representative to the European Union in the margins of the NATO Defence Ministerial in Brussels on 29 June 2019 to discuss a number of issues related to European security and defence.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if she will place a copy of the most recent UK National Implementation Plan under the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy in the Library; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
National Implementation Plans under the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) may refer to either Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) or civilian CSDP. As the UK is not a PESCO participating Member State and is not subject to the PESCO binding commitments, we have not developed a National Implementation Plan for PESCO. We are considering whether a National Implementation Plan for civilian CSDP is required before the UK leaves the EU.
Asked by: Lord Swire (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the wreck of HMS Victory was gifted to the Maritime Heritage Foundation.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
Following a 2011 report on the public consultation in relation to potential options for the management of the HMS VICTORY 1744 wreck site, it was decided to place responsibility for the future management of the site with a charitable trust.
In 2012, the Maritime Heritage Foundation was considered to be suitable for the management of the site.