§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the questions asked in the latest continuous attitude survey undertaken by the(a) Royal Navy, (b) Royal Air Force and (c) Army; how often the surveys have been compiled; to what use they are put; and if he will make a statement. [51810]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 25 April 2002]: The Army and the RAF latest continuous attitude surveys include over 200 questions each, while the Royal Navy survey has over a hundred. The questions are on a wide variety of subjects with the following broad categories: personal circumstances; quality of life; job satisfaction; career development; operational tours and postings; pay and allowances; accommodation: welfare; families; facilities; communication and equal opportunities. The questions are structured around the Armed Forces Overarching Personnel Strategy; however, they are not fixed and are varied to determine attitudes to particular conditions of service.
Each of the three services has conducted its own continuous attitude surveys of serving personnel since the 1980s. The Royal Navy conducts surveys three times per year, the Army twice yearly and the Royal Air Force conducts surveys quarterly.
Each survey is designed to ascertain the attitude of personnel towards a range of service conditions and to gather intentions with regard to their remaining in the service. Senior staff and policy makers use the information gathered to identify which policies are seen to be working and inform subsequent policy development work. The three services also periodically survey spouses of serving personnel to gather evidence on the effects of service life on families.