Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to reduce the duration of the recruitment process for the Royal Air Force.

The current Government inherited a crisis in recruitment and retention from the last administration but are taking steps to address it.

Since June 2024, the recruitment timeline for Enlisted Aviator entrants has reduced by over 10 per cent and work is ongoing to reduce this further to ensure applicants have a positive candidate experience.

The Royal Air Force (RAF) candidate recruitment journey has been improved by an overhaul of the RAF recruitment website and portal, process improvements such as the streamlining of eligibility checks and aptitude assessments, and the introduction of the digital exchange of medical information with civilian GPs.