§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if consideration has been given to raising the upper age entry limit for the armed services as a measure to deal with the falling numbers of school leavers in the 1990s; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NeubertThe Royal Navy is considering raising the upper age limit for officer entry but has no plans to change the age limit for Royal Navy ratings (currently 33) or Royal Marines other ranks (28).
The Army also keeps it upper age limits under review and has made adjustments upwards recently for some officer entrants. There is provision to accept officers with special skills (for example, doctors and dentists) on qualifications and experience with formal age limit and for other ranks to join up to age 33.
The current upper age limit for entry into the Royal Air Force is 39, except for some branches and trades where the physical demands of the work necessitate a lower age limit, for example the general duties (air) branch and the physical training instructor trade. There are no plans to change this, though there is provision to vary these limits in exceptional circumstances.