Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of strength and readiness of UK military forces stationed in and around the Falkland Islands; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure sufficient recruitment, retention and personnel levels to maintain the long-term defence of the Islands.

The UK Government is steadfast in its support for the Falkland Islanders’ right of self-determination.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to maintaining a defensive military presence in the South Atlantic to ensure the protection of the Falkland Islands. Our defences in the South Atlantic are robust, consisting of air, land, and maritime forces with a strong permanent presence on the Falkland Islands. I am confident that our military presence is at the appropriate level for the defence of the Islands, and we keep this under constant review.

The Government is focused upon improving Armed Forces recruitment, modernising and refining our policies and processes to attract the best possible talent across all roles and missions within the Armed Forces. Defence is already delivering a range of new and more flexible routes into service designed to widen participation, attract specialist talent and improve access to military careers.