Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the long separation periods allowed by Royal Navy harmony rules allow greater periods deployed without rotation of personnel.

Royal Navy Harmony rules govern the time personnel spend deployed using the two measurable factors of Separated Service and Minimum Time Ashore. In most cases, the maximum period of Separated Service allowed is 660 days over a rolling three-year period, while Minimum Time Ashore limits the duration of any individual posting to a deployed unit.

The use of three-year rolling Separated Service rather than an annual limit does allow for longer periods deployed. However, career management of individual personnel allows rotation within units and ensures that periods of deployment are alternated with assignments ashore.