Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what her Department's policy is on screening new recruits to identify the risk of sudden cardiac death.

The full clinical history of recruits is considered. This includes smoking and family history, taking account of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Recruits also receive a full clinical examination.

In addition to this, Army recruits have an electrocardiogram and, when clinically indicated, a transthoracic cardiac echo is performed. This screening is designed to detect significant structural and electrophysiological abnormalities.