Written questions by Davies.

How many reservists are aged between 55 and 60; and how many will be 60 in the next 12 months.

I am grateful for the contribution of our Reserve Forces who provide the UK with the ability to meet the threats we face at home and overseas, with the scale, skills, agility and connection to society that it needs, in a cost-effective way. Alongside the Strategic Defence Review’s interest in Reserves, and in tandem with the transformational work already underway in Defence, I am reviewing the Reserves landscape, in a meaningful and impactful way, to ensure that we are making the most of the unique skills our Reserves offer Defence. A total of 2,860 Reservists are aged between 55 and 60. Of those, 450 will turn 60 in 2025 if they remain on strength.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of raising the retirement age of reservists from 60 to 65.

I am grateful for the contribution of our Reserve Forces who provide the UK with the ability to meet the threats we face at home and overseas, with the scale, skills, agility and connection to society that it needs, in a cost-effective way. Alongside the Strategic Defence Review’s interest in Reserves, and in tandem with the transformational work already underway in Defence, I am reviewing the Reserves landscape, in a meaningful and impactful way, to ensure that we are making the most of the unique skills our Reserves offer Defence. A total of 2,860 Reservists are aged between 55 and 60. Of those, 450 will turn 60 in 2025 if they remain on strength.

What steps his Department is taking to support Armed Forces personnel with children when there is a breakdown in family arrangements.

Joint Service Publication (JSP) 770 (Tri-Service Operational and Non-Operational Welfare Policy) provides a framework for the delivery of a widely recognised and accessible support structure that secures and improves the wellbeing of Service personnel and...

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of working conditions in the Armed Forces on the (a) mental health and (b) familial relations of Armed Forces personnel.

Defence considers its people to be its greatest asset and is committed to the health and wellbeing of our personnel and their families. We recognise that the unique nature of Service life can cause stress and strain. We invest in, and act upon, mechanisms...

How much his Department paid in paternity pay to (a) civilian and (b) military staff in each of the last five years; and to how many fathers.

The below table details the number of people who took paternity leave for either the birth or adoption of a child in each of the last five calendar years. The amount paid to staff will take longer to compile and I will write to the hon. Member and place a...

What information his Department holds on the reasons why staff leave the armed forces; and what the most common reasons are.

The number of people who have left the Armed Forces within the last five years can be found in the table below, and was extracted from the quarterly Service Personal Statistics 2024 on gov.uk at the following link https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/...

How many people left the armed forces in each of the last five years, and what information his Department holds on the different types of departure.

The number of people who have left the Armed Forces within the last five years can be found in the table below, and was extracted from the quarterly Service Personal Statistics 2024 on gov.uk at the following link https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/...

Whether his Department has conducted qualitative research into recruitment barriers in the Armed Forces.

The new Government’s work in improving retention and recruitment is part of a package of measures aimed to renew the contract between the nation and those who serve. We are modernising and refining our policies and processes to attract, and then retain th...

What the average length of paternity leave taken by staff in (a) his Department and (b) the armed forces was in each of the last three years.

Our records show that between 2021 and October 2024, Ministry of Defence employees have taken paternity leave for the birth or adoption of a child. The average working days taken (AWDT) for civilian and military personnel is shown in the tables below. Cal...

Whether he plans to issue any licences for fox trail hunting on Ministry of Defence land.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation, including the banning of trail hunting. Licenses to trail hunt on Ministry of Defence (MOD) land are currently under Ministerial revi...