HL Deb 17 March 2004 vol 659 cc47-8WA
Lord Moynihan

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What percentage of new recruits to the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force passed the initial swimming tests in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what were the equivalent figures over the past 10 years. [HL1645]

Lord Bach

The information is not held centrally in the format requested. The following information is available.

NAVAL SERVICE

All naval recruits have passed their initial swimming tests. RN recruits have to pass this element of their training before moving into the fleet. It is mandatory for a Marine to have completed the battle swimming test before he can be operationally deployed.

ARMY

Army recruits are not required to pass the military swimming test (MST). The MST may be completed at any time during a soldier's service and is recorded on each soldier's record of service.

RAF

The RAF has tested the swimming ability of new entrants only since June 2003. Between June 2003 and March 2004, some 1,775 recruits undertook their initial RAF swimming test, and 357 (20 per cent) could not achieve the required swimming standard.