§ Mr. Paul KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what methods are used by the Ministry of Defence to forecast(a) social trends and (b) risks in relation to (i) recruitment and (ii) retention; and if he will make a statement. [100173]
§ Dr. MoonieThe armed forces employ a number of methods to identify and assess factors—including social trends and risks—that impact on recruitment and retention. The Department has its own analytical capability situated in the Defence Analytical and Services Agency, where much of this groundwork is undertaken. Social trends are identified primarily through commissioned research. This provides access to a wide range of research information across Government Departments, for example labour trends, demography, and census statistics. Targeted research 533W contracts are also placed, as necessary, to improve our understanding of the employment market in which we compete. Recruiting risks are identified from this research and from very close scrutiny of the emerging performance of the recruiting machine.
As far as retention is concerned, a key part of the pay and workforce strategy for the armed forces is the identification of high level risks and the levers that can be used to ameliorate those risks. Within that strategy, underpinning policies are reviewed in the light of evidence obtained both from routine surveys (for example Continuous Attitude Surveys) and from discrete research on specific topics.