Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 13, page 10, of the National Audit Office report, Delivering Carrier Strike, published on 16 March 2017, what steps he is taking to attract service personnel into Royal Navy intelligence roles.

In planning for the personnel required to enable the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers to fulfil their operational tasking, the Royal Navy has identified those roles and skills where increased numbers in specialist roles, such as intelligence officers, would be required. This has been factored into recruiting and training during the lead up to the in-service date.