§ 23. Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what improvements he plans in recruiting procedures for new members of the armed services. [16862]
§ Mr. SoamesThe most important new procedure introduced on 10 January is that of the use of jobcentres for armed forces recruiting. I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave on 9 January,Official Report, column 5.
A number of other new improvements to recruiting procedures have been introduced or will be introduced in the next few months. These include a new armed forces eligibility questionnaire which allows candidates to see at 115W a glance if they are eligible for entry into the armed forces and the introduction later this year of a standard application form for use by all three services.
In recognition of the reduced physical fitness of some young people, a physical development course is being trialled at the Army Training Regiment, Glencorse. The aim of this course is to take borderline physical fitness failures from the recruit selection centres and offer them a progressive three-week physical fitness programme to bring them up to the required entry standards.
The armed forces are also in the process of developing new formal links with the career service to help produce a wide network of well-informed careers advisers to help promote careers in the armed forces.