Oral Answers to Questions

Antony Higginbotham Excerpts

Monday 16th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Elliot Colburn (Carshalton and Wallington) (Con)]

5. What steps his Department is taking to (a) recruit and (b) retain armed forces personnel.

[Antony Higginbotham (Burnley) (Con)]

13. What steps his Department is taking to (a) recruit and (b) retain armed forces personnel.

[Andrew Jones (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (Con)]

16. What steps his Department is taking to (a) recruit and (b) retain armed forces personnel.

--- Later in debate ---

[James Heappey]

I thank my hon. Friend for being such a champion of the air cadets, particularly in his constituency. All cadets learn many skills, but the cadet forces are not conduits into the armed forces. However, many cadets do go on to enjoy successful careers in the services, and long may that continue. As part of the cadets syllabus, we provide them with an awareness of the various career opportunities in the military and in other industries around defence.

[Antony Higginbotham]

Burnley has a long and proud tradition when it comes to service and recruitment into the armed forces. With that in mind, will the Minister agree to look at the viability of reopening the Burnley recruitment office, which was closed in 2013? That would make a valuable contribution to keeping Burnley’s tradition alive.

[James Heappey]

Armed forces career offices were reduced to increase efficiency and to reflect the modern society from which we are recruiting. Most recruiting activity occurs online, through chat facilities or through call centres, and it is vital that we maintain strong presences on social media and elsewhere on the internet, but we of course continually review the lay-down of our recruiting offices, and we will look again at the one in Burnley.