Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to review the recruitment of under 18s into the armed forces.

Young people from the age of 16 are eligible to join our Armed Forces and we are immensely proud of the apprenticeship and education opportunities available to those who choose a career in Defence. The Armed Forces provide a positive career choice (with ongoing trade training) for those leaving school at 16. As part of our duty of care to our recruits no young person under the age of 18 years may join our Armed Forces without the formal written consent of their parent or guardian, nor do they deploy on operations until they reach 18 years of age. The Armed Forces do not intend to phase out the recruitment of personnel who are under the age of 18. Our policies on under-18s in Service are robust and comply with national and international law.