Reserve Recruitment Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Reserve Recruitment

David Nuttall Excerpts
Monday 17th November 2014

(9 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Julian Brazier Portrait Mr Brazier
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I will have to write to the hon. Gentleman.

David Nuttall Portrait Mr David Nuttall (Bury North) (Con)
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Does the Minister think that the closure of recruiting offices such as the one in Bury in my constituency has had any effect on the number of reservists being recruited?

Julian Brazier Portrait Mr Brazier
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I do not believe that that has had a direct effect. Most reservists join initially through their local reserve unit or, in some cases, through the national website. There was one immediate indirect effect—while all the glitches were in the system, which we have ironed out over the past few months, the lack of somebody immediately available on the high street to mentor somebody who had not already got dug in with a unit made a significant difference. I do not believe it will make a long-term difference.