Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton and Will Quince

Monday 14th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mark Lancaster]

We have been quite open about the fact that there have been challenges in this contract. Equally, the Chief of the Defence Staff, in his appearance before the Select Committee the other day, recognised that some of these issues were of the Army’s own making historically. I can only repeat again that I am confident—this has occupied much of my time in recent months—that improvements have been made to the contract, and we are now seeing that pipeline working. It is much more effective than it has been in the past, and I think the results will be seen in a few months’ time.

[Will Quince (Colchester) (Con)]

I accept that it is early days, but has the Minister made any assessment of the Army’s new recruitment advertising campaign?

[Mark Lancaster]

Yes. The very fact that everybody seems to be talking about it is a very positive sign. Time will tell, but early indications are that applications are up by over 20% on this time last year and by 35% on 2017, so that appears to be positive.