Oral Answers to Questions

Alex Norris Excerpts

Monday 23rd October 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mary Creagh (Wakefield) (Lab)]

3. What progress he is making on meeting the targets for 2020 set out in the SDSR 2015.

[Alex Norris (Nottingham North) (Lab/Co-op)]

17. What progress he is making on meeting the targets for 2020 set out in the SDSR 2015.

[The Minister for the Armed Forces (Mark Lancaster)]

Since SDSR 2015, we have cut steel on the first Type 26 and signed the contract to buy new Apache helicopters. We are on track to deliver by the end of 2020: initial operating capability for carrier strike; maritime patrol aircraft; and to field Ajax. We have launched our innovation initiative, and published both our shipbuilding and our international defence engagement strategies.

[Mark Lancaster]

One of this Government’s strengths is in how we successfully work together between Departments. We saw the comprehensive approach working very effectively during recent weeks in the cross-Government response to Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean. That is exactly the approach we should be taking.

[Alex Norris]

SDSR 2015 aimed for at least 10% of our armed forces personnel to be from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background. Latest figures show that just 2.4% of regular officers are from a BAME background and that there are currently no BAME officers at a two-star rank or above. When will Ministers publish a new diversity strategy to get to grips with that challenge?

[Mark Lancaster]

The hon. Gentleman is quite right that Britain is changing, and it is very important that our armed forces represent modern Britain. There is a very impressive strategy in place in which—he is quite right—the target is for 10% of recruits to be from the BAME community and 15% to be women. We have had varying success across our three forces. The Royal Air Force is doing the best by far but, year on year, we are seeing improvements, and I am determined that we shall continue to recruit role models to help this process.