§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his policy on (i) retention and (ii) deployment of women in the armed forces. [86368]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonAll three Services are wholly committed to maximising employment opportunities for women in the armed forces, except where it is assessed that this could undermine combat effectiveness. 73 per cent. of posts in the Naval Service, 70 per cent. of posts in the Army and 96 per cent. of posts in the Royal Air Force are open to women.
The Secretary of State commissioned a review into those posts closed to women on the ground of combat effectiveness; that is, the Royal Marines General Service, the Infantry, the Royal Armoured Corps and the RAF Regiment. Following the review it was decided that 1,300 specialist posts in the Royal Marines filled by Royal Navy and Army personnel would be opened to women. The results of the review were set out in the report of the Strategic Defence Review (Comd 2999) published in July last year.
Studies are also being undertaken to assess the impact on combat effectiveness of increasing, to 70 per cent. the number of posts open to women in the Army and of allowing women to serve in "attached billets" in the Royal Marines. This work is due to complete in 2001.
As I said on 24 February 1999, Official Report, columns 300–01, we have decided that, following a review into the employment of women in submarines and in mine clearance diving branches, posts in these areas should remain closed on medical grounds.
Servicewomen currently represent around 7.7 per cent. of the total strength of the armed forces. In the 12 months to 1 April 1999, 12 per cent. of all new recruits were women; exit rates for women have remained relatively stable at 10 per cent.