The application and inflow figures for the UK Regular Armed Forces between 1 July 2018 and 31 June 2019 can be found in the following tables. As with any organisation, there is a period of time between applying to join the Armed Forces and beginning training, and therefore the two tables are not directly comparable. Application figures may appear high compared to inflow, however it can take months to translate an application into an enlistment. In many cases this will be based on individual needs, for example due to finishing education or planning start dates around family commitments. High application figures demonstrate positive reaction to advertising campaigns, and the appeal of the Armed Forces. However, given the nature of the Armed Forces, stringent entry standards are required.

Notes/Caveats:

• Figures for inflow have been provided by Defence Statistics;
• Application figures are based on single Service estimates; official statistics have not been produced by Defence Statistics;
• If a candidate has made more than one application, each application will be counted separately;
• Intake comprises all personnel joining the Armed Forces either as new entrants or re-entrants.
• UK Regular Forces do not include Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel and mobilised reservists;
• Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10, though numbers ending in a “5” have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent the systematic bias caused by always rounding numbers upwards;
• Figures exclude Commonwealth applicants to the Army.

Any dividends from investments are allocated in line with our normal financial and capability planning processes.

Her Majesty's Government announced the preferred bidder for the Type 31 General Purpose Frigate competition in September 2019 and looks forward to the contract award in due course. These five ships will replace the existing five General Purpose Type 23 Frigates.

As explained in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 and in the National Shipbuilding Strategy, we remain committed to a surface fleet of at least 19 frigates and destroyers, and the Royal Navy will continue to have the ships it requires to fulfil Defence and policy commitments. It remains our intent to grow the destroyer and frigate force by the 2030s, and the Type 31 Frigates will give us the opportunity to do this.

The F-35 is at the beginning of its service life and is the most effective and developed aircraft capable of Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) based operations. The Tempest acquisition programme is looking at the replacement of Typhoon's capabilities and any new combat air system will need to be interoperable with Carrier Enabled Power Projection. During the Concept Phase, QEC basing for any unmanned force multipliers which may form part of the future combat air system is being considered.

On 14 March 2019 (HCWS1411), we provided an update to Parliament on our ambitious Defence Prosperity Programme which includes work to sustain an internationally competitive and productive UK Defence sector. Since the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review introduced a new National Security Objective to Promote UK Prosperity we have published strategies for Shipbuilding and Combat Air and refreshed our Defence Industrial Policy with a new emphasis on supporting growth and competitiveness.

The Ministry of Defence has committed to provide Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in the UK that meets or exceeds the Government Decent Homes Standard and we continue to fulfil this obligation. Currently, more than 97% of SFA meets or exceeds this standard. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation continues to work closely with its Industry partner to improve further the condition of SFA provided to Service families.

Primary legislation will be required in order to add to the list of Service disciplinary offences set out in the Policing and Crime Act 2017. We will continue to consider finding Parliamentary time for this.

There are no records of meetings between Ministry of Defence (MOD) Ministers and Mr Crispin Odey. However, the MOD publishes in arrears details of Ministers' meetings on a quarterly basis at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-with-external-organisations-in-the-ministry-of-defence

The following details can be found in the returns:

• The date the Minister attended the meeting
• The name of the organisation or individuals who attended the meeting
• The purpose of the meeting

Please note that phone calls are not covered in these disclosures.

The appointment of auditors is a matter for IMS Ltd as a private company.

The Government is committed to maintaining the overall size of the Armed Forces. The Armed Forces continue to meet all their current commitments, keeping the country and its interests safe. They are fully funded to meet their target strength and we continue to increase funding to Defence year on year.

The Armed Forces have active and targeted recruitment campaigns which are proving effective; intake to the UK Regular Armed Forces was 13,520 in the 12 months to 1 July 2019, an increase of 13.4% compared with the same period in 2018.

Outflow from the Regular Armed Forces was 14,880 in the 12 months to July 2019, remaining constant with the same period last year. However, we are not complacent; we closely monitor the impact of Service life on individuals, particularly in areas where there are shortages. Each Service has developed plans to manage this and the proportion of personnel who breach their Service harmony guidelines has reduced across all Services and ranks for the last five years, reflecting the innovative approaches and pro-active management of this issue.

We take our duty of care to our personnel very seriously, but risk is inherent in many activities carried out by the Armed Forces. This risk is rendered as low as reasonably practicable during training by ensuring that its design and delivery are subject to strict safety procedures and rigorous risk analysis. Training programmes are also subject to internal or external assurance and audit inspections including by OFSTED.

On 1 April 2015, we established the Defence Safety Authority which brings together the Defence Safety Regulators and the Accident Investigation Branch, providing independent assurance to the Secretary of State in accordance with his health, safety and environmental policy statement.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes the health and wellbeing of its personnel very seriously. A Health and Wellbeing Strategy for all MOD employees, military and civilian, was published in mid-2015 (updated in August 2016) and is designed to provide guidance to the Chain of Command and civilian line managers on how to manage the health needs, both mental and physical, of their people. The aim is to maximise the number of people fit to work, managing people back to work after a period of sickness, so that they are fit and able to meet the requirements of Defence outputs, including operational effectiveness.

Whilst the MOD records the medical employability and deployability of Service personnel, more specific information about the level of sickness absence among women - or men - in the Armed Forces is not held centrally. As at 1 May 2019, medical employability for the trained UK Armed Forces was 98 per cent, with a male:female split of 98:97% respectively.

The Saudi Arabian authorities do not routinely inform us of their military deployments.

I will write to the hon. Member shortly with the requested information.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is supporting the Department for Transport (DfT) in developing contingency plans for the movement of Category 1 goods, from the EU to the UK, in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Category 1 goods are defined as 'those essential for the preservation of human and animal welfare and national security'. DfT is procuring, on behalf of the rest of Government, freight capacity from the commercial market and remains on track to provide the required capacity from 31 October 2019, but it is right to prepare for all eventualities. MOD has therefore been requested to make available one of its freight vessels for use from 31 October 2019 should it be necessary. This vessel is one of the four Point Class Strategic Roll-on-Roll-off vessels (SRR), which are operated by Foreland Shipping Limited under a MOD contract. If this contingency plan is utilised, the intention is to import the Category 1 goods the SRR carries through Marchwood Port, using the MOD contract with the port operator Solent Gateway Limited.

The Army's review of Junior Entry (JE) enlistment has concluded. The Armed Forces offer some of the best training and education to people anywhere in society. Those opportunities begin at 16 with around 1,300 Junior Soldiers graduating from Harrogate each year. The Army Foundation College at Harrogate is the only JE Phase 1 training establishment in the British Army and the JE is a tried and trusted means of engaging young people leading them to a successful Army career. The college aims to create a well-rounded junior soldier, physically, conceptually and morally. The delivery of training is conducted in accordance with a carefully synchronised college programme and is aimed to be progressive and provide variety with a balance between classroom, camp and field training.

This review considered how the Army can continue to attract the best young people under the age of 18 and, in doing so, maximise the talent of the individual to the mutual benefit of the individual, the Army and society improving their social mobility. The tendency for under-18 recruits to serve for longer than their over-18 peers and the relatively high proportion of junior entrants that promote to senior NCO ranks over the course of their careers benefits the Army and the individual.

The Review found that while the JE scheme is performing well and remains attractive to potential recruits, it is not well known and could be advertised more effectively. To recruit effectively the JE model must appeal to all, including females and the growing Black Asian and Minority Ethnic workforce in the UK.

A copy of the report of the Army's review of JE enlistment will be placed in the Library of the House.

The Supplementary Estimates 2018-19 relate to the activities described for 2018-19 budget, while the Main Estimates 2019-20 reflect the activities for the 2019-20 budget.