Asked by: Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assistance the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations provide for recruiting reservists and cadet instructors.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations (RFCAs) offer support to recruitment in multiple ways.
The RFCAs provide media and communications support, including through the provision of small grants from regionally generated income for both Reserve and Cadet units to produce recruiting materials. The RFCA communications teams also support Cadet units with social media aimed at increasing awareness of the cadets and to encourage young people and adults to join. The results have been significant; recent social media campaigns have seen a 200% increase in expressions of interest.
The RFCAs also showcase the Reserves and Cadets with bespoke short films at Lord-Lieutenants’ Awards ceremonies, reinforced with other media around those events. Annual online Cadet Adult Recognition Awards are hugely popular – highlights are then used to advertise adult volunteering on our social media platforms. RFCAs also support County shows and other engagement opportunities that support and enable recruitment.
The RFCA’s Permanent Support Staff manage the in-flow of Cadet Force Adult Volunteers to cadet units, including some recruitment process administration, and it’s Volunteer Estate output actively supports recruitment by providing modern, well-maintained Cadet training centre or Army Reserve Centres that are attractive to potential new recruits.
Asked by: Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many county committees there are in the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The County Committees, of which there are 26, form a valuable part of the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations.
Asked by: Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the appropriateness of Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel being employed as members of the Civil Service.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Navy has launched the RFA35 programme to determine the long-term future of the RFA, defining its purpose, size, function and optimal crewing model to meet future requirements. RFA35 will also consider options for the future status of RFA personnel. Negotiations on pay and other issues are ongoing to resolve the current dispute with trade unions and will provide a foundation for RFA35.