Contributions
1,406 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Cadet Expansion ProgrammeWhat a pleasure it is to respond to the contribution of my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Bracknell (James Sunderland) this evening. I hope that we will be able to reflect…18 Mar 2024HANSARD Cadet Expansion ProgrammeI absolutely do. As the proud father of five daughters, each of whom has been involved at some level in the cadets, I can certainly endorse the hon. Gentleman’s remarks. I am…18 Mar 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsI thank my right hon. Friend for his question—I knew he would get Capita in there somewhere. He will be familiar with the Engage to Recruit programme, which is currently underway…19 Feb 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am a veteran, and I talk to veterans all the time, as does my right hon. Friend the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. I do not recognise the picture that the shadow Minister…19 Feb 2024HANSARDArmed Forces RecruitmentI pay tribute to the people of Northern Ireland who, as the hon. Gentleman says, have disproportionately contributed to the defence of our country. He will know that we are…19 Feb 2024HANSARDArmed Forces RecruitmentI completely reject the premise of the hon. Gentleman’s question. If he is talking about increasing the number of women in our armed forces, Lord Etherton’s review into LGBT…19 Feb 2024HANSARDArmed Forces RecruitmentOh, I think the hon. Gentleman knows what I am going to say in response to his question, and that is to invite him to have a conversation with the shadow Chancellor to see whether…19 Feb 2024HANSARDArmed Forces RecruitmentThe hon. Gentleman is right to highlight the importance of service accommodation. He will be aware of the huge Government investment to improve the quality of both service-family…19 Feb 2024HANSARDArmed Forces RecruitmentThose are interesting reflections. I suggest the hon. Gentleman has a word with the shadow Ministers on his Front Bench, particularly the shadow Chancellor who, to date, has…19 Feb 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsSince 2011, the armed forces covenant and its consequentials have been the absolute lynchpin of public commitment to those who have served, and they have materially improved the…19 Feb 2024HANSARDArmed Forces RecruitmentIn a challenging labour market, we continue to apply an array of measures to support recruitment and retention and to refine the armed forces’ offer. These include the biggest pay…19 Feb 2024HANSARDArmed Forces RecruitmentI absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. Heads of establishment can access an approved funding pot to address minor maintenance works, up to a maximum value of £25,000 per item,…19 Feb 2024HANSARDArmy: SizeThe Government are sticking to 73,000 regular and 30,000 reserved personnel, as I said earlier. Those figures are in “Future Soldier”, published in 2021, and they remain unchanged.19 Feb 2024HANSARDArmed Forces RecruitmentI am grateful to my hon. Friend and ministerial predecessor. Over the past two years, the Ministry of Defence has put servicewomen at the heart of developing and delivering a…19 Feb 2024HANSARDArmed Forces RecruitmentI am grateful for the opportunity to do so. The joint Ministry of Defence and Department for Education cadet expansion programme is progressing extremely well, with over 54,000…19 Feb 2024HANSARDArmy: SizeThe latest figure for the full-time strength of the Army is 73,520. The Army is continuing to work towards its “Future Soldier” structure of 73,000 regular and 30,000 reserve…19 Feb 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am grateful to the hon. Lady for her question—she has been consistent in her inquiry into this matter. She will be reassured to know that across the service community, the rate…19 Feb 2024HANSARDArmy: SizeI am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s remarks, but I do not recognise the situation that he describes. We take security extremely seriously and ensure that all personnel have…19 Feb 2024HANSARDArmed Forces RecruitmentI share my right hon. Friend’s enthusiasm entirely. The armed forces are a huge engine for social mobility. In the last year, the Army achieved over 5,000 school engagement visits…19 Feb 2024HANSARDDefenceAs at October 2023, 55.4% of civil servants are female—a rise of 0.7 percentage points compared with 1 October 2022—and 11.7% of the UK regular armed forces and 15.9% of Future…09 Jan 2024