Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Oral Statement of 20 November 2024 on Defence Programmes Developments, Official Report, columns 287-289, whether retention bonuses for Army personnel will be made available to the (a) Royal Navy and (b) RAF.

The Ministry of Defence pay retention payments in a variety of ways depending on the needs of the single-Services. Retention payments for the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are targeted where they are most needed, and where they make the most efficient use of tax-payers money.

From January 2025, a new £8,000 retention payment will be awarded to eligible regular Privates and Lance Corporals who have served four years. The payment targets Army Personnel as they enter a critical part of their career, with 12,000 personnel expected to benefit over the next three years.