MoD: "Overlooked" Royal Fleet Auxiliary addressed as Royal Navy, RAF and Army morale reaches "record low"

Dame Caroline Dinenage, Conservative MP for Gosport, highlighted the issues facing the civilian force in the House of Commons today (November 18). A long-running pay dispute has been ongoing between staff and the Ministry of Defence (MoD), with other problems such as low levels of staffing resulting in many leaving the force.

At previous demonstrations held in Portsmouth and elsewhere, members of the Nautilus International and RMT unions have said they felt “overworked, underpaid and undervalued”. Strikes have recently been extended, with half of the RFA sitting in docks due to the lack of personnel being available to safely operate them.

Addressing defence secretary John Healey, Ms Dinenage said in parliament: “The Royal Fleet Auxiliary are often overlooked, but are absolutely vital to the sustainability and success of our Royal Navy, but so often, their pay and conditions do not keep track with either the armed forces or the civil service. What can the secretary of state say to the RFA to reassure them that they are valued?”

Mr Healey, Labour MP for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough, said: “Over the last decade or more, we have been expecting more of those members of the RFA. They play a critical role in our maritime operations, They are highly valued as part of our services community, and we see a very important future for that service as part of building Britain’s defences for the future, putting forces and RFA personnel at the heart of our plans, to make sure that we’re more secure at home and strong abroad.”

The RFA supports the Royal Navy on forward operations and other exercises, including replenishing Carrier Strike Groups with vital supplies such as fuel, food and munitions. Ships are often deployed in combat zones, as well as during scouting missions with Royal Navy forces. RFA Tideforce recently joined HMS Iron Duke in shadowing Russian task groups as they sailed through the English Channel.

The defence secretary admitted that morale among military personnel was depleted, with the government facing challenges in keeping people in the forces. “Over the last year, service morale fell to record lows, with over 300 more full time personnel leaving the forces than joining each month,” he said. “We can’t reverse these deep-set problems overnight, but this government is putting people at the heart of our defence plans, and today will see the second reading of our legislation to establish an independent armed forces commissioner to improve service life.”