Defence Online

Recent data released by the Ministry of Defence reveals high application withdrawal rates for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) over the past decade.This information was provided in response to a parliamentary question posed by John Healey, the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence.Healey asked, “How many and what proportion of applications were (a) received and (b) voluntarily withdrawn to join the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in each year since 2010?”Andrew Murrison, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence, provided a detailed breakdown of the application data:The data reveals fluctuating trends in both the number of applications received and the proportion of those applications that were voluntarily withdrawn. Notably, there were significant peaks in application numbers in certain years, such as 2020-21, which saw the highest number of applications at 3,204. This period also experienced a high withdrawal rate of 44%.The proportion of applications withdrawn has varied widely, with some years experiencing relatively low withdrawal rates, such as 2015-16 and 2016-17, both at 11%. In contrast, recent years have seen higher withdrawal rates, with 2021-22 recording the highest at 47%.