Written question asked by Marquess of Lothian (Conservative) on Thursday, 12 September 2024, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 26 September 2024. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Thursday, 26 September 2024 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Army: Recruitment

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they (1) are reviewing, or (2) plan to review, current Armed Services recruitment policy to allow those who have previously worked for UK forces in Afghanistan in any capacity, but who are not British or Commonwealth citizens, to apply to join the British Army if they have relocated to the UK.

Answer: We fully acknowledge and value the contribution of Afghan nationals who supported the UK mission in Afghanistan, and we are determined to honour our nation’s commitment to relocate and resettle eligible individuals. The nationality requirements for joining the UK Armed Forces are set out in legislation, namely the Armed Forces Act 2006. We are not currently reviewing the extant nationality requirements. Recruitment policies are reviewed regularly to ensure that Defence continues to be an employer which is representative of wider UK society.

Secondary information