Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 108
108
Deferred
UK Armed Forces face significant capability shortfalls and unresolved personnel recruitment crisis.
Conclusion
There are multiple capability shortfalls within the UK Armed Forces. For that reason, we welcome the decision to maintain the Albion-class vessels in operational service until their out of service dates in the 2030s. However, we are also increasingly concerned about the ability of the Armed Forces to attract and retain personnel. Whilst 221 Defence Committee, Ninth Special Report of Session 2017–19, Indispensable allies: US, NATO and UK Defence relations: Government Response to the Committee’s Eighth Report, HC 1569, Para 11 222 Defence Committee Second Special Report of Session 2023–24, Aviation Procurement: Winging It? Government response to the Committee’s Tenth report of Session 2022–23, HC 187, p 3–4 223 The World’s Biggest ‘Graveyard’ Houses Almost 4,000 Aircraft, Interesting Engineering, 16 August 2021 224 Oral evidence taken on 15 November 2023, HC (2023–24) 52, Q3–4 225 Q435 226 X (formerly known as Twitter) post by the Ministry of Defence, 6 March 2023 [Accessed 26 January 2024] Ready for War? 43 we welcome the Government’s recognition that these issues require fresh solutions and look forward to reviewing plans based on recommendations from the Reserve Forces 2030 Review and the Haythornthwaite Review to alleviate the crisis in the recruitment and retention of both Regulars and Reserves, we do not believe it is being carried out at the required pace. We heard no evidence that gives us confidence that the recruitment crisis will be resolved anytime soon.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the challenges in recruitment and retention, stating that all 67 recommendations from the Haythornthwaite Review were accepted in the Defence Command Paper refresh. It commits to publishing a formal government response outlining next steps for delivery and implementation, including a roadmap for recruitment and retention, during 2024.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
As a Government, we recognise the responsibility to ensure our Armed Forces have the right people in the right place with the right skills, both now and in the future. This is never more pressing as we face global challenges not seen since the middle of the twentieth century. Despite an ever-increasing technological landscape, we know that people continue to be a critical factor in Defence. We are also committed to our Armed Forces remaining a career of choice for new generations. They should be attracted by modern and flexible offers which seek to reflect contemporary motivators and expectations and encourage them to remain in or contribute directly to defence throughout their military careers and beyond. Defence recognise that we must compete in a challenging labour market where there is huge demand for many of the key skills the Armed Forces needs to recruit and retain. This same challenge is faced by Armed Forces globally. We must address complex levers of retention; both positive and negative, to ensure that the best appropriate offer is available to everyone. The Armed Forces, both regular and reserve service, has been a driver of social mobility throughout history, and it is our responsibility to build on the opportunities offered to help people achieve their potential. The Haythornthwaite Review’s 67 recommendations were all accepted in the Defence Command Paper refresh in 2023 and a formal HMG response to each one of the recommendations will be published during 2024. The formal Govt. response will outline next steps for delivery and implementation for each recommendation, reflecting a broad roadmap for recruitment and retention for the short and the longer term. Key indicators will be captured regularly and reported to all stakeholders to measure progress. It will set out clear progress already made in priority areas and demonstrates how Defence is working fast to speed up recruitment, support the retention of the people we have, and build a people system that is aligned to and evolves with society. The work we are already undertaking will transform how we approach recruitment and retention, moving away from a base-fed model and one-size-fits-all culture to one based on the agility and autonomy of a mission-command approach.