Armed Forces: Recruitment
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department considers factors other than merit for military (a) appointments and (b) promotions.
Answered by Mr Calvin Bailey
In addition to appointing on merit, appointing teams across Defence take into account the key skills and experience of candidates, and their Service (Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force) for appointments and promotion. Where a position requires a specialist skillset, an individual with the most appropriate experience might be sought, even if based upon merit alone they may not have been the strongest candidate.
In areas where it is important to maintain a broad cross-section of military experience for diversity of thought, skills and experience, posts may be competed for by all three Services.
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