asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons wishing to join Her Majesty's Forces, over the last 10 years, have been refused because their educational standards were below those required.
| | RN Servicemen | RM Servicemen | WRNS Servicewomen | RAF Servicemen | WRAF/PMRAFNS Servicewomen |
| 1969–70 | … | 2,339 | 585 | — | Not available | Not available |
| 1970–71 | … | 2,541 | 474 | — | 4,187 | 1,330 |
| 1971–72 | … | 4,597 | 845 | — | 5,729 | 1,960 |
| 1972–73 | … | 4,794 | 847 | — | 3,677 | 2,294 |
| 1973–74 | … | 3,660 | 855 | — | 3,049 | 1,957 |
| 1974–75 | … | 5,289 | 1,049 | — | 2,846 | 1,276 |
| 1975–76 | … | 8,290 | 1,139 | — | 4,239 | 1,919 |
| 1976–77 | … | 8,430 | 885 | 1,220 | 4,350 | 1,520 |
| 1977–78 | … | 7,612 | 1,114 | 1,651 | 4,169 | 1,237 |
| 1978–79 | … | 7,241 | 1,577 | 1,462 | 4,480 | 1,221 |
The figures represent formal applicants who were rejected as a result of failing to satisfy the general educational requirements for entry to the RN, RM or RAF or failing to attain a sufficiently high level of specific trade test requirements for employments of their choice within the Service. Information for WRNS Service women prior to 1976–77 and for QARMNS is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.Applicants for entry as Army Service men and Service women-WRAC and QARANC-are not required to satisfy any formal minimum educational standard. An obviously unsuitable candidate would be dissuaded at the inquiry stage. Suitability for particular employments is established at recruit selection centres or subsequently during recruit training or in some cases after preliminary educational training.Entry standards for all three Services are kept under regular review to ensure they are not unnecessarily high.Candidates for commissions in all Services are required to satisfy the minimum educational standards at the inquiry stage before making formal application. No information is therefore available as to the numbers "rejected" on education grounds.