Written Question

Defence: Recruitment

Monday 13th November 2023

Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to encourage more women to join the defence workforce.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Armed Forces are committed to attracting, retaining and developing the best talent from the broadest diversity of skills and background, to reflect the society we serve. Women are an integral part of our Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence is taking action to ensure the Armed Forces support women to have full and thriving military careers - including reaching the very top ranks.

A Level of Ambition of 30% inflow of women by 2030 was announced in 2021, building on the content of the previously published Defence Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2018-2030. This is both "stretching and challenging" and a clear statement that Defence wants to improve, recognises the mission critical value women bring and is creating conversations and driving improvement activities.

Defence has adopted almost all the recommendations from the Defence Committee’s 2021 report into Women in the Armed Forces, having tested them with the Service Women’s Networks – and in many cases taking them further. A further progress update will be provided to the Defence Committee on 14 November 2023. Notable recent progress includes:

• In summer and autumn 2022, new Armed Forces policies were released on sexual exploitation and abuse, a ban on relationships between instructors and trainees, a zero-tolerance approach to sexual offending, and introducing additional levers to discharge those in the Armed Forces found guilty of unacceptable sexual behaviour.
• Equipment and uniform improvements across the Services, including improved fit combat clothing and the provision of sports bras to all those who require breast support in initial training.
• A range of health information products that support Servicewomen, including menopause and breastfeeding policies, a Servicewomen’s Health Handbook and a reviewed sanitary product provision and disposal system.

In terms of the civilian workforce, a range of creative materials have been developed to advertise all the opportunities within the Defence Civil Service workforce. Products include real life experiences of our employees, , who work in roles across the Defence Estate, to showcase the diversity and inclusive nature of Defence. Recently, these products have been used to advertise National Inclusion Week specially for the Engineering Profession.

The majority of Civil Service roles are advertised offering flexible working opportunities, including job share. We operate an anonymous sift approach so that identifying characteristics such as gender, ethnicity and age are not available to be seen by the selection panel at the sift stage.

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Select Committee

National Education Opportunities Network (NEON)

BAE0023 - Boys’ attainment and engagement in education

Written Evidence May. 23 2024

Inquiry: Boys’ attainment and engagement in education
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Education Committee (Department: Department for Education)

Found: Majority: A report for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Creative Diversity on ‘What Works’

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Bill Documents
27 Mar 2024 - Amendment Paper
HL Bill 44(k) Amendments for Committee
Media Act 2024

Found: , page 2, line 18, at end insert— “(za) that cultural activity in the United Kingdom, and its diversity

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Select Committee

University of Reading, University of Reading, University of Reading, and University of Reading

FIL0065 - British Film and High-End Television

Written Evidence Nov. 14 2023

Inquiry: British Film and High-End Television
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Culture, Media and Sport Committee (Department: Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport)

Found: We identify key causes of the failing skills pipeline: 1.Lack of diversity: the screen industry

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Non-Departmental Publication (News and Communications)
Natural England

May. 16 2024

Source Page: Podcast exploring relationship with the sea to be broadcast
Document: Podcast exploring relationship with the sea to be broadcast (webpage)

Found: Project lead for Natural England, Mel Smith said: There is a well-documented lack of diversity and representation

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Select Committee

Meera TV Ltd

FIL0081 - British Film and High-End Television

Written Evidence Nov. 14 2023

Inquiry: British Film and High-End Television
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Culture, Media and Sport Committee (Department: Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport)

Found: I find the diversity is zero and the producers/directors have so much experience/even an agent to

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Select Committee

Screen Scotland

FIL0119 - British Film and High-End Television

Written Evidence Nov. 14 2023

Inquiry: British Film and High-End Television
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Culture, Media and Sport Committee (Department: Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport)

Found: films are essential to authentic representation of the UK across its constituent parts and in all its diversity

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Select Committee

Film London

FIL0117 - British Film and High-End Television

Written Evidence Nov. 14 2023

Inquiry: British Film and High-End Television
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Culture, Media and Sport Committee (Department: Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport)

Found: The need to diversity the offer of both independent and mainstream exhibition is illustrated both

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