Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Quarterly service personnel statistics: 1 October 2025, what assessment has he made of the cause of the decrease of personnel in the Full-Time Trained Strength (RN/RM & RAF) and Full-Time Trade Trained Strength (Army) in the 12 months to 1 October 2025.

UK Regular Armed Forces intake is now greater than outflow at the Tri-Service level and strength remained stable over a rolling 12-month period. Published stats (1 October 2025) show that since 1 October 2024, the total number of UK Forces Personnel has increased by 0.3% (increase of 516 to 182,063). Armed Forces inflow has increased by 13% when compared to previous 12-months. In the same period outflow reduced by 8%.

There is no single reason why personnel leave the Armed Forces, but the personnel who completed the Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey indicated reasons for leaving the Armed Forces included the impact of Service life on family and personal life and opportunities outside the Armed Forces.

We are pleased to be reversing the trend of decline, with more people joining our Armed Forces than leaving for the first time in four years. But we know there is more to do to and are taking decisive action, including speeding up the process for those wishing to rejoin the Armed Forces, giving personnel the largest pay rise in decades and scrapping 100 outdated recruitment policies, and legislating the first-ever Armed Forces Commissioner to improve Service life.