Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Leo Docherty and Jane Stevenson

Monday 21st February 2022 Commons Chamber

[Jane Stevenson (Wolverhampton North East) (Con)]

9. What steps his Department is taking to improve diversity and inclusion in the armed forces.

[The Minister for Defence People and Veterans (Leo Docherty)]

The Ministry of Defence puts diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything we do: we regard it as mission-critical. Our ambition is a 30% inflow of women by 2030. Army recruitment for ethnic minorities is currently at 11.7%. We know that we must build a diverse force to tackle the diverse threats that our nation faces.

[Jane Stevenson]

Improving recruitment in areas such as Wolverhampton would really help diversity in the armed forces. Wolverhampton also has a very high rate of unemployment. What more can the Department do to ensure that every young person in Wolverhampton is aware of the fantastic opportunities open to them in the armed forces?

[Leo Docherty]

I should put it on record that Wolverhampton has a long and very proud tradition of people in the armed forces. What we can do is point out that recruiting is undergoing constant improvement. I invite my hon. Friend to visit her Army recruitment centre on Queen Street in Wolverhampton to celebrate the amazing careers on offer for young people.