Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his long-term strategy is to help tackle (a) recruitment and (b) retention challenges within the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, in the context of the ongoing pay dispute.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) are highly valued, specialist personnel. We are committed to listening to their concerns and maintaining a continued dialogue to address issues they have raised during the ongoing pay dispute.

As well as working to resolve the current pay dispute, recruitment and retention of staff over the long-term remains a priority. There are a number of initiatives in support of this which include updating working practices - such as part-time, flexible, and family-friendly arrangements - shortening recruitment timescales and modernising pay and allowances. This work forms part of the Defence-wide initiative driven at Ministerial level through the recently established Recruitment and Retention Board.