Duty of care of Service personnel examined

• Inquiry: Beyond endurance? Military exercises and the duty of care
• Defence Sub-Committee

125 Service personnel died between 1 January 2000 and 18 July 2015 whilst on training or exercises. 

The Committee examines the overarching policies, practices and guidance of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Armed Forces in respect of the health and safety of Service personnel during training, exercises and selection events and whether effective processes exist for capturing lessons from accidents and deaths that have occurred during such events.

Call for written evidence

The questions the Sub-Committee is particularly interested in examining are:

• Whether the 125 Armed Forces deaths whilst on training or exercises between 1 January 2000 and 18 July 2015 indicate any systemic failings in the policies and practices of the MoD and the Armed Forces?
• The adequacy of health and safety and risk assessment processes, and the quality of training and available guidance in these processes, within the MoD and Armed Forces, and what changes might be required.
• How will the MoD and the Armed Forces balance potential risks in training, exercises and selection events with the need to maintain operational preparedness and effectiveness?
• Do the Armed Forces have consistent standards of supervision, responsibility and accountability for both individual and collective training of Regulars, Reserves and Special Forces?
• The provision of medical services during training, exercises and selection events.
• What checks are in place to manage the risk of Service personnel pushing themselves too hard?
• Whether the MoD and Armed Forces have effective processes for capturing lessons from accidents and deaths during training, exercises and selection events?
• How the MoD and the Armed Forces implement Coroner’s recommendations following the deaths of Service Personnel during training, exercises and selection events, monitor progress and measure the effectiveness of their implementation?
• What are the implications for future selection events for recruitment to the Special Forces?
• Are changes required in the preparation of Regulars and Reserve personnel for training, exercises and selection events?

Written submissions for this inquiry should be submitted via the duty of care inquiry page on the Defence Sub-Committee website.

The deadline for written submissions is Wednesday 20 January 2016.

The inquiry will not investigate individual cases.

Further information

• Guidance: Written submissions
• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees