Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether there are sufficient numbers of sailors, marines and airmen in the Royal Navy.

The Royal Navy continues to meet its commitments worldwide.

Like many employers, it faces challenges in retaining technical expertise. This is being addressed through a range of schemes including direct entry into specialist trades, flexible working and opportunities for our Maritime Reserves to serve at sea to make sure we attract and keep the skilled personnel required.

The details for current staffing levels for Service personnel in the Royal Navy on the Full Time Trained strength against the Workforce Requirement can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-2018