During questions to the Secretary of State for Defence, Mike Freer called on the Government to bring in measures to increase ethnic diversity in the armed forces. Mike Freer’s question follows comments by Army General, Sir Nicholas Carter, who criticised a lack of racial diversity in the military.
Overall, all ethnic minorities - including black, Asian, Sikh and Hindu - make up less than 10% of personnel.
The exchange between Mike Freer and Defence Minister Mark Francois is as follows:
Mike Freer: What steps he is taking to promote diversity in the armed forces.
The Minister for the Armed Forces (Mr Mark Francois): The Ministry of Defence is committed to creating a more diverse work force, better able to represent the nation it serves and defends. That is why we are developing a comprehensive defence diversity and inclusion programme to increase the diversity of the whole work force, both military and civilian.
Mike Freer: I thank the Minister for that answer, but will he reflect on the comments of the Chief of the General Staff who said this month that “recruitment from the black, Asian and minority ethnic communities has been improving…but it is nowhere near where it needs to be.” What steps is the Army taking to ensure that it reflects the society that it protects?
Mr Francois: I thank my Hon. Friend for his support for the Chief of the General Staff’s initiative, but as the CGS has made clear more needs to be done. For instance, a significant amount is already being done to increase the diversity of the Army, such as targeted recruitment campaigns and high-profile engagement events aimed at the Sikh and Muslim communities, including the establishment of an armed forces Muslim forum.