Retired Officers Scheme (Hansard, 20 November 2002)

§ Dr. Moonie

The Retired Officer Scheme has served us well for more than four decades, but a continuing manning deficit coupled with the emergence of increasingly stringent employment legislation has caused us to examine alternative means of capitalising on the valuable experience of those retiring from the Armed Forces. In addition to this source of expertise we would also like to attract people with suitable experience from industry, the Civil Service, and from the wider Defence environment. After full consultation it has been decided that there will be no further recruitment into the Retired Officer Scheme. Instead, people will be recruited both internally and externally into Military Support posts within the mainstream Civil Service. Some former RO posts that may require a uniquely military background, or a specific military qualification, will become the responsibility of the respective Service Secretaries. Serving Retired Officers will be invited to assimilate into the new arrangements, although they will be free to remain as established Retired Officers should they wish to do so.