The MOD collates, on a quarterly basis, management information on the number of service personnel “fit for task”, which provides a measure of the medical fitness of all trained armed forces personnel. These figures are broken down into three categories: medically fully fit, medically not fully fit, and medically unfit. It should be noted that the majority of those personnel who fall under the category of medically not fully fit remain fit enough to work in some capacity and therefore continue to make a contribution to operational effectiveness, often within theatres of operation.
Prior to 1 April 2006, information was collected by the single services for internal management purposes, but was not required to be reported centrally in a standardised format. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
For information on the period covering the first quarter of 2006-07 through to the second quarter of 2008-09, I refer the hon. Member to my answers of 20 and 22 January 2009, Official Report, columns 1262W and 1664W. Medically fit for task figures for the third and fourth quarters of 2008-09 can be found in the following table. Personnel numbers are rounded to the nearest 10, and percentages, rounded to one decimal point.
Number Percentage of trained strength Number Percentage of trained strength Number Percentage of trained strength 2008-09 Q3 Fully fit for task 30,390 87.4 — — 34,630 88.1 Not fully fit for task 4,320 12.4 — — 4,500 11.5 Unfit for task 70 0.2 — — 160 0.4 2008-09 Q4 Fully fit for task 30,340 87.2 — — 34,400 88.1 Not fully fit for task 4,370 12.6 — — 4,510 11.5 Unfit for task 70 0.2 — — 170 0.4 1 Since 2007 the Army has collated figures for its deployable elements only not its total trained strength.
Since 1 April 2007 the Army has collated quarterly figures for its deployable elements only, rather than for its total trained strength. For this reason the figures are not comparable to those provided by the Navy and RAF in the same period. The Army’s deployability returns provide a snapshot, on a specific day, of the deployability of Army personnel broken down into the following categories: fully deployable; limited deployability (LD); and personnel unable to deploy (PUD). Many of those personnel classed as LD can and will deploy to operational theatres, likewise PUDs will be able to undertake non-deployed duties.
The following table provides the figures as at 1 December 2008 and 1 April 2009; personnel numbers are rounded to the nearest 10, and percentages rounded to one decimal point.
Number Percentage of deployable strength 1 December 2008 Fully deployable 57,700 78.8 LD for medical reason 7,910 10.8 PUD for reasons 3,900 5.3 1 April 2009 Fully deployable 57,770 78.4 LD for medical reason 8,190 11.1 PUD for reasons 3,860 5.2
For the last quarter, the reporting date has been altered to 1 April, bringing it in line with the financial year and other reporting.