To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to reduce the rate at which Royal Navy officers are voluntarily leaving military service. [HL2479]

The Royal Navy’s current level of officer manning is sufficient to meet the tasks it is required to undertake. To ensure it continues to meet its manning requirements in the future, the Royal Navy has a number of retention initiatives, which include: financial retention incentives and specialist pay; the development of increased opportunities to transfer to longer commissions; and the Moral Component of Operational Capability project, which is examining the need to strengthen the ethos and values within the naval service. In addition, the significant benefits of staying in the Navy, such as job security, pay and pension, healthcare, leave, adventurous training et cetera, are detailed in a new brochure which will very shortly be cascaded through the Navy’s divisional chain.