Armed Forces Recruitment

Lord Soames of Fletching Excerpts

Wednesday 21st May 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

We did; noble Lords have discussed this in your Lordships’ House many times. However, since July, we have taken decisive measures on both recruitment and retention.

On the recent statistics, Armed Forces inflow has increased by 20% compared with the previous 12 months. The Army currently has a seven-year high in application volumes, the Royal Navy yearly recruitment target has been exceeded, and RAF applications are up by 34%. However, we still have a huge amount of work to do. That is why, specifically on retention, it is such an important step forward that we have introduced new retention teams, which hold exit interviews to work with service personnel to see whether we can help them overcome their reasons for leaving. We spend a huge amount of money on training our Armed Forces personnel; it is important that we make sure they stay.

[Lord Soames of Fletching (Con)]

My Lords, would the Minister consider a trial run of reopening high street recruiting centres, the closing of which was, in my view, a disaster? They enable people who know the area in which they are recruiting and the people whom they want to recruit much better than some remote service. Would the Minister consider giving that a trial just to see whether it still works?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

The noble Lord makes an important point; I will pass his views on to the Minister and report back.