The information on academic qualifications of recruits is not held in the format requested and differs between the three services. However, the available data for the Navy and Army is provided as follows: the Navy section providing a breakdown of the academic qualifications overall, while the Army section offers a summary split by officer and other ranks. Unfortunately, due to IT problems within the RAF it is not currently possible to extract the necessary data. I will write to the hon. Member with information for the RAF when this is available and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Navy
The following table reflects the numbers of each qualification held by all new recruits who joined between 1 January-31 December 2008.
Number Level 7 Masters 2 Level 6 Bachelors 46 Level 5 BTEC HNCs, HNDs, Foundation Degrees and HNDs 14 Level 4 CHE 1 Level 3 A levels 436 AS Levels 282 GNVQ Advanced 9 BTEC National Certificate 27 BTEC National Diploma 59 NVQ Level 3 24 Key Skills Level 3 30 VCE Double award 1 VCE A Level 1 VCE AS Level 1 Level 2 GCSEs A-C 5250 BTEC First Diplomas 29 BTEC First Certificate 7 NVQ Level 2 112 GNVQ Intermediate 61 Key Skills Level 2 387 Level 1 GCSE D-G 484 GNVQ Foundation 8 Key Skills Level 1 183 NVQ Level 1 49
In addition, here are the figures for the Scottish qualifications framework.
Number Scottish Advanced Higher 3 Scottish National Certificate 1 Scottish Higher 89 Scottish Intermediate 1 48 Scottish Intermediate 2 97 Scottish Standard A-C 590 Scottish Standard D-G 37
Recruits were also recorded as having 658; Basic Skills’, 39 ‘GCEs’, two ‘CSEs’ and three Modern apprenticeships.
Army
Basic Skills Levels—The Army reflects the national basic skills picture (within 1 per cent.). Roughly 45 per cent. of all soldiers joining the Army are below Level 1 (GCSE D-G) but since August 2003 80 per cent. of soldiers achieve LI literacy and numeracy within three years. Since 2002, 21,874 national literacy and numeracy qualifications have been awarded to soldiers.
Apprenticeships—65 per cent. of soldiers (4,800) embark on an apprenticeship at either Level 2 (GCSE A*-C) or 3 (A Level) either within Phase 2 training or the Field Army. The Army's achievement rate of apprenticeships is 75 per cent. compared to the national average of 60 per cent. Apprenticeships also include support for literacy and numeracy and as part of the apprenticeship soldiers gain Level 1 literacy and numeracy qualifications.
Accreditation—The majority of training within the Army is accredited to nationally recognised qualifications (March 2007 to April 2008 there were 15,451 Awards). These awards range from Level 1 qualifications through to masters degrees.
Learning credits—All soldiers are entitled to claim learning credits to support their elective educational courses which include academic and vocational qualifications.
Officers
In 2007-08, 585 cadets who commenced training at the Royal Military academy Sandhurst (RMAS) were graduate entrants this represents 82 per cent. of a total of 715 who began the standard career courses.
Substantive answer from Bob Ainsworth to Sally Keeble:
I undertook to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question on 19 January 2009, Official Report, column 1867W, about levels of academic qualification reached by recruits joining the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force.
This data for the RAF is now available and is set out in the table below.
The information shows the total number of RAF recruits who hold specific qualifications for 2008. Many recruits will be counted more than once since they have more than one type of qualification.
Number Sec/FE qualification type Advanced Extension Award 2 Advanced Placement 1 Advanced Subsidiary Vocational Certificate of Education 2 Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education Double Award 4 Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education Single Award 3 Basic Skills 293 BTEC First Certificate 8 BTEC First Diploma 5 BTEC Higher National Certificate 14 BTEC Intermediate 18 BTEC National Certificate 33 BTEC National Diploma 21 Certificate in Management Studies 2 Certificate of Secondary Education 8 Certificate of Sixth Year Studies 3 City & Guilds Level 1 9 City & Guilds Level 2 4 City & Guilds Level 3 2 City & Guilds Level 4 1 Diploma 2 Diploma in Higher Education 2 Diploma in Nursery Nursing 1 Foundation Course 1 Free Standing maths 1 GCE Advanced Level 398 GCE Advanced Level 2 25 GCE Advanced Level (Special Papers) 2 GCE Advanced Subsidiary 225 GCE Advanced Supplementary Level 15 GCE Alternative Ordinary Level 2 GCE Ordinary Level 24 GCSE Double Award 72 GCSE short course. 91 General Certificate of Secondary Education 576 General National Vocational Qualification 2 GNVQ Advanced 2 GNVQ Foundation 1 GNVQ Intermediate 16 Institute of Financial Services CIB Level 3 Certificate 1 International Certificate of Education 1 International GCSE 12 Key Skills Level 2 7 Key Skills Level 3 2 Modern Apprenticeship 6 New Zealand Higher School Certificate 1 NVQ Level 1 2 NVQ Level 2 16 NVQ Level 3 23 NVQ Level 4 4 Open University 60 pt course 1 Royal Society of Arts Stage 1 6 Royal Society of Arts Stage 2 3 SA Year 12 Certificate of Achievement 1 SCE Advanced Higher Grade 12 SCE Higher Grade 51 SCE Higher Still 2 SCE Intermediate 1 1 SCE Intermediate 2 9 SCE Standard Grade 49 Scottish Certificate of Education 0 Grade 7 Scottish Higher Unit 2 SQA Higher National Certificate 3 SQA Higher National Diploma 1 SVQ Level 3 1 West African Senior School Certificate 1 Uni/Higher/Prof Qual qual type Bachelor 1 Bachelor of Architecture 1 Bachelor of Architecture (Hons) 1 Bachelor of Arts 26 Bachelor of Arts (Hons) 48 Bachelor of Dental Surgery 3 Bachelor of Education 1 Bachelor of Education (Hons) 3 Bachelor of Engineering 29 Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) 19 Bachelor of Law 4 Bachelor of Law (Hons) 4 Bachelor of Medicine 10 Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery 2 Bachelor of Medicine (Hons) 2 Bachelor of Music 1 Bachelor of Science 48 Bachelor of Science (Hons) 73 Bachelor of Science in Economics 3 Bachelor of Social Science 1 Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) 1 Bachelor of Surgery 1 Bachelor of Surgery (Hons) 1 Bar Vocational Course 1 BTEC Higher National Diploma 4 Certificate of Education 1 Degree 3 Diploma of Higher Education 6 Master of Arts 9 Master of Biological Studies 1 Master of Education 1 Master of Engineering 28 Master of Science 3 Masters in Chemistry 1 MBChB 2 Postgraduate Certificate in Education 5 Post Graduate Diploma 2 Post Graduate Diploma in Law 1
I will place a copy of my letter in the Library.