Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to encourage employers to advertise the benefits of joining the armed forces reserves to their staff.

We work closely with employers to generate and maintain their support for the Reserve Forces. Employers can advertise the benefits of joining the Reserves to their employees if they wish, but we do not ask them to do so. Joining the Reserves cannot be a condition of employment, except where we have a contractual arrangement with a company to provide Sponsored Reserves to deliver a military capability.

Defence generates employer support for the Reserves through tailored engagement and clear communication of the benefits they can derive from being supportive. There is mutual benefit for employers and Defence when organisations are supportive of the employment of reservists. When Reservists are confident that their qualities are valued by employers, they are less likely to look for a new job with a more supportive employer.