Recommendation 78

In November, the Secretary of State told us that recruitment and retention was an area of concern for him given that in September 2023 there had been “183 pinch points, of which 61 were assessed as having a significant or acute impact”.163 The Minister for the Armed Forces echoed this: The existence of these pinch-point trades where we have shortages is a real concern. You are absolutely right to speculate that they are mostly the trades that are very technical and, frankly, make the force work. … We have to do some pretty urgent work to fill some of those pinch points because they are limiting what we can do with the force for as long as we are carrying the gaps that we have.164 162 Q402; Oral evidence taken on 16 January 2024, HC (2023–24) 480, Q90; 96 163 Oral evidence taken on 15 November 2023, HC (2023–24) 52, Q46–7 164 Q402 Ready for War? 33 Utilisation of the Reserve