Question to the Ministry of Defence:

Her Majesty's Government whether there has been an improvement in the recruitment and retention of engineer officers and senior engine room ratings in both the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary following the recent Ministry of Defence studies into remuneration packages.

The Royal Navy (RN) and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) have a number of measures, both remunerative and non-remunerative, to improve the recruitment and retention of engineers. Given the range of measures in place, it is not possible to attribute the overall effect on retention and recruitment to a particular measure or study.

There are positive signs for the RN in terms of engineering officer and rating recruitment and retention, and for RFA retention. However, like many employers in the maritime sector, both the RN and the RFA face a significant challenge in recruiting engineering expertise, and they will continue to assess their personnel requirements and the ways in which this situation can be addressed.