Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldie on 8 October (HL17928), why approximately 90 per cent of applications from those who apply to join the Armed Forces are rejected.

As I stated in Written Answer HL17928, the two tables relating to applications and inflow are not directly comparable. The assertion that 90 per cent of applicants are rejected is incorrect.

There are various reasons why applicants to the Armed Forces do not always complete the recruitment process, including not meeting the particular requirements for their chosen role or Service, accepting competing offers from industry or Further Education, or a change of mind.

However, the Services are working hard to improve the conversion rate of applicants in the near term by continually refining policies and processes such that we maximise their chances of completing the recruiting journey and joining the Armed Forces.