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Written Question
Armed Forces: Complaints
Friday 14th February 2025

Asked by: Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many extra posts have been recruited to process service complaints under Volunteer ex-Regular Reserve contracts or other reservist terms and condition of service by (1) the Army, (2) the Royal Navy, (3) the Royal Air Force, and (4) Strategic Command, in each of the last five years.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The following information details how many extra reservist posts have been recruited by the single Services in each year in order to process Service Complaints. The data has been provided by the three Services, who manage the Service Complaints process. Service Complaints are managed by the single Services, not by Commands, and thus Strategic Command is not included.

Royal Navy

  • 2020: no extra reservist posts recruited.
  • 2021: three Volunteer ex-Regular Reserve (VeRR) posts were recruited.
  • 2022: no extra reservist posts recruited.
  • 2023: seven extra VeRR posts were recruited.
  • 2024: no extra reservist posts were recruited.

Army

  • 2020: no extra reservist posts recruited.
  • 2021: eight ‘lifed’ Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) posts made enduring.
  • 2022: two additional FTRS posts were recruited.
  • 2023: 14 additional VeRR posts were recruited.
  • 2024: no extra reservist posts recruited.

Royal Air Force

  • 2020: no information held.
  • 2021: no information held.
  • 2022: no information held.
  • 2023: no extra reservist posts recruited.
  • 2024: ten additional VeRR posts recruited.
National Audit Office
Defence and national security - Mar. 19 2025
Report - Investigation into the MoD's oversight of the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations (PDF)

Found: All UK armed services – the Royal Navy, the British Army and the Royal Air Force – include reserve forces

Departmental Publication (Statistics)
Ministry of Defence

Feb. 20 2025

Source Page: Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics: 2025
Document: (Excel)

Found: Volunteer Reserve comprises the Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marine Reserve, Army Reserve, and Royal Air

Deposited Papers
Ministry of Defence

Dec. 24 2024

Source Page: I. Letter dated 17/12/2024 from Alistair Carns MP, Minister for Veterans and People to Maj Gen (Retd) Simon Lalor regarding the External Scrutiny Team’s (EST) 2024 report, includes annex with responses to EST report recommendations. 5p. II. Council of Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations. The United Kingdom Reserve Forces External Scrutiny Team annual statutory report 2024. 68p.
Document: EST_report-Al_Carns_response.pdf (PDF)

Found: Project WAVELL will review the requirement to re -set the demand on the Army Reserve and re-organise

Departmental Publication (Transparency)
Ministry of Defence

Jan. 08 2025

Source Page: FOI responses published by MOD: week commencing 6 January 2025
Document: (PDF)

Found: How many FTRS contracts were extended?

Deposited Papers
Ministry of Defence

Dec. 24 2024

Source Page: I. Letter dated 17/12/2024 from Alistair Carns MP, Minister for Veterans and People to Maj Gen (Retd) Simon Lalor regarding the External Scrutiny Team’s (EST) 2024 report, includes annex with responses to EST report recommendations. 5p. II. Council of Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations. The United Kingdom Reserve Forces External Scrutiny Team annual statutory report 2024. 68p.
Document: EST_UK_Reserves_Forces_Annual_Report_2024.pdf (PDF)

Found: -770 Army Reserve Total Strength 25,980 30,030 27,240 26,160 - 3,870 RAF Reserve Total Strength 1,520

Non-Departmental Publication (Transparency)
Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations (RFCA)

Dec. 17 2024

Source Page: Council of Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations Scrutiny Team annual statutory report: 2024
Document: (PDF)

Found: 20 Royal Navy 21 Army 21 Royal Air Force 22 Reserve Estate 23 Reserve Health 25 Annexes

Departmental Publication (Statistics)
Ministry of Defence

Feb. 27 2025

Source Page: UK armed forces equipment and formations 2024
Document: (Excel)

Found: Army Reserves Regiments566666666 Royal Engineers181717181818181823 Regular Army

National Audit Office
Defence and national security - Mar. 19 2025
Summary - Investigation into the MoD's oversight of the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations (PDF)

Found: SESSION 2024-25 19 MARCH 2025 HC 746 Investigation into the Ministry of Defence’s oversight of the Reserve

Lords Chamber
Major Defence Contracts - Mon 03 Feb 2025
Ministry of Defence

Mentions:
1: Lord Harlech (Con - Excepted Hereditary) Government what assessment they have made of the economic impact of uncertainty surrounding major defence contracts - Speech Link
2: Lord Harlech (Con - Excepted Hereditary) I beg leave to ask the Question in my name on the Order Paper and declare my interest as a serving Army - Speech Link
3: Lord Harlech (Con - Excepted Hereditary) Finland has a wartime strength of 280,000 and can call on a reserve of 870,000 troops. - Speech Link