Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 27
27
Acknowledged
Provide update to Service personnel on SFA allocation approach, timescales, and impact assessment.
Recommendation
The Government should provide an update to us, and more importantly to Service personnel, on its approach to allocation of SFA, with timescales and metrics for implementation. This should take into account the different needs of the three Services and include a full impact assessment of any potential revisions to the accommodation policy for SFA. (Recommendation, Paragraph 135)
Government Response Summary
The MOD accepts the recommendation, stating that a recent survey and frontline command input informed the review of SFA allocation. An announcement regarding the revised offer, which will leverage opportunities from the SFA estate buy-back, will be made in due course.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The MOD accepts the recommendation at 27. As part of the review of the planned changes, the department gave all regular Service Personnel the opportunity to have their voices heard through the MAO survey which ran in Spring 2024. The data on what personnel want, and their intentions under a future model, informed the development and assessment of the various courses of action considered under the review. The frontline commands have been a core part of the review team and were involved at a senior level in assessing the impact of proposed options on their people and the delivery of operational capability, alongside the impact on cost, risk, and the delivery of the accommodation model. The deal struck to bring the SFA estate back into public hands presents new opportunities for how, and how quickly, the revised offer can be implemented. The implications of this are being worked through alongside the work to maximise the benefits of the Annington deal and an announcement will be made in due course.