Armed Forces Personnel Processes (Hansard, 17 July 2002)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach)

A review of Armed Forces personnel processes is to be carried out this year. Preliminary work (Phase 1) has defined the scope of the study and identified the processes concerned. The aim of the review is to ensure that the outcome of the processes (providing the Armed Forces with the right number of people with the right skills in the right place at the right time) is achieved effectively and as efficiently as possible.

The review will proceed in two further phases, under the sponsorship of the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel). Phase 2 will identify management, organisational and structural options for improving the delivery of the personnel process outputs. The examination will include the busines planning and performance management framework within which these processes operate. The sponsor expects to receive the report early in 2003. Phase 3, to be completed in mid-2003, will develop more detailed proposals for improvements in future performance and service delivery.

This process-based review, whose approach is supported by the Treasury and Cabinet Office, will replace planned quinquennial reviews of the Naval Recruiting and Training Agency (NRTA), the Army 160WA Training and Recruiting Agency (ATRA) and the RAF's Training Group Defence Agency (TGDA). Although the future of these agencies will be considered in detail, the review will focus on end-to-end processes, and not primarily on historical agency performance.

The review team will conduct wide consultation with representatives of stakeholders. However, the team will be interested to hear the views of other organisations or individuals (including people currently in the Armed Forces) who would like to make a contribution to the review. Those wishing to do so should send their contributions by Monday 16 September by post to:

Service Personnel Processes Review Team,
c/o 2nd Floor Open Plan
Ministry of Defence
St Giles Court,
1–13 St Giles High Street,
London WC2H 8LD
or by e-mail to: dgmo-traqqr3@defence.mod.uk