Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of health assessments on recruitment to the armed forces.

Pre-joining medical assessments are a core element of Armed Forces recruiting pipelines, and all candidates are subject to these to confirm their eligibility to join the Armed Forces. Some medical conditions are incompatible with safe and effective employment in the Armed Forces. For those who would otherwise be considered unfit by entry standards into the Armed Forces, an executive/personnel waiver can be considered for candidates whose skills are required.

Entry Medical Employment Standards are regularly reviewed and amended to reflect the most up to date guidance for all medical conditions. Recruiting processes are being optimised to ensure that medical assessments are fully aligned with updated medical policy.