Asked by: Steve Rotheram (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in what ways the UK's military mission in Afghanistan is contributing to the protection of civilian Hazaras.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
The UK's military mission in Afghanistan, as part of NATO's Resolute Support Mission, is helping train and advise the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, who are responsible for providing security for the entire population of Afghanistan including civilian Hazaras. In particular UK Armed Forces are playing a vital role in mentoring instructors at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy, where the next generation of Afghan military leaders are being taught.
Asked by: Steve Rotheram (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will undertake a review of the medical criteria for applying for positions within the Royal Navy to prevent the exclusion of people with (a) autism and (b) ADHD.
Answered by Julian Brazier
It is our policy that all Armed Forces personnel should be recruited to be fully fit for deployment worldwide on operations. For this reason, the Services do not recruit personnel with existing medical conditions which may adversely impact on the effectiveness of the Armed Forces, or which may themselves be exacerbated by military circumstances.
Whilst those diagnosed with autism are excluded from joining the Services on medical grounds, those individuals suffering mild or entirely non-disabling Asperger’s Syndrome may meet the entry standards following an assessment by an occupational health physician and gaining a favourable assessment after pre-entry tests of suitability for military service.
Recruitment may be permitted for those with ADHD where there is no history of violence or delinquent behaviour, there has been a period of more than three years freedom from symptoms and the candidate has been off all treatment for three years prior to application and is functioning normally.
The medical entry criteria undergo a rolling programme of revision and that for autism and ADHD have recently been reviewed. Unless new evidence is brought to our attention there is no requirement for a further review at this time.