Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has made an assessment of the feasibility of integrating non-violent offenders into non-combat military support roles as part of a structured rehabilitation programme.

Defence is dedicated to recruiting, retaining and developing the best talent, drawn from the broadest diversity of thought, skills and background, to reflect the society we serve. We inherited a long running recruitment crisis from the last government.

Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, the Armed Forces can consider applications from candidates with spent and unspent convictions for non-serious offences on a case-by-case basis. The entry policy regarding convictions is regularly reviewed and amended to ensure that it is fully aligned with updated legislation. However, there will always be a number of serious convictions that preclude entry.

The Defence purpose is to protect the people of the United Kingdom, prevent conflict, and be ready to fight our enemies. The demanding nature of defence today is such that we require highly trained, professional personnel in our Armed Forces, fully committed to giving their best in defending our country and its allies. Recruits are all volunteers, and the Government has no current plans to introduce any form of mandated service.

It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) to review the principles of justice and deliver the Criminal Justice System. Should the MOJ seek Ministry of Defence (MOD) support for alternative forms of justice and rehabilitation, the MOD will investigate potential options. Within the Strategic Defence Review such initiatives will have merit for consideration as Defence must offer novel ways of entry into the Armed Forces that attract more people from a wider range of backgrounds. However, the protection of operational outputs will always be a Defence priority.