WAFFU0116

MOD Responses to Women in the Armed Forces Follow Up Questions

Question 7: Interventions to turn female applicants into recruits, and interventions.

Army Recruiting supports female applicants through a deliberate set of evidence-led interventions across the recruiting pipeline, designed to improve access, confidence, and conversion while fully complying with UK employment law. A comprehensive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) data dashboard, including intersectional analysis, monitors pipeline performance and identifies differential outcomes for women. This is complemented by targeted research focused on optimising female participation in the officer pipeline and analysing withdrawal points across demographic groups.

Equality Impact Assessments are mandatory for all substantive changes to pipeline processes, while continuous insight is gained through Voice of the Candidate feedback and perception and sentiment analysis. Together, these tools enable Army Recruiting to identify friction points early and directly inform the tailored interventions designed to better support female applicants.

Female applicants therefore receive targeted engagement, safe space activities, and enhanced recruiter capability rather than female-only advertising campaigns. These interventions include Women in STEM events, Officer Insight Days, women-only pre-Assessment Centre events, work experience courses, bespoke fitness sessions, and access to serving female soldiers through Ask a Soldier, Ambassador Networks, and female online communities. All recruiters undergo DEI induction training and utilise enhanced digital nurture toolkits featuring female-specific FAQs. Recruiters also host webinars and formal engagements with the Army Servicewomen’s Network, supported by a DEI Operations Working Group.

While no female-specific paid campaigns are run, women are consistently and prominently featured across creative outputs and digital platforms. Recent examples include a Women in the Army virtual event, female-focused social content and live Q&A sessions, and increased prominence of women’s stories on the Army website. This approach ensures broad reach, authenticity, and legal compliance while providing targeted support to help female applicants progress successfully through the recruiting journey.

Question 12: Which interventions to increase female representation have not worked?

RMAS Course Loading

In 2015 an intervention to increase female representation involved ending single-sex platoons and introducing integrated platoons, spreading women across all groups to improve their visibility and fairness. Course loading had a detrimental impact on outcomes, as the small number of women often resulted in them being alone or in very small groups within platoons, a situation further exacerbated by factors such as backterm, where trainees are withdrawn from their current course and returned to an earlier stage of training, for example due to injury. This lack of a critical mass limited the psychological benefits of integration and reduced the effectiveness of the intervention. As a result, the Headquarters Royal Military Academy Sandhurst team recognised that simply dispersing women across all platoons was ineffective, leading to a revised approach where some platoons have no women to ensure a sufficient critical mass in others.

Question 55: Regarding those wishing to access support and make a complaint at the Army Foundation College at Harrogate. In particular: How long it took from the complaint and whether there were any obstacles to those complaints reaching the authorities. Clarification around access to phones, computers and the ability to leave the college.

The Army Foundation College, Harrogate, ensures junior soldiers (JS) can promptly access support or make complaints without barriers. Critically, at any time a JS can gain access within minutes to a means of contacting the police, whether that is by requesting use of their own phone or by using a phone available in the welfare office, Royal Military Police (RMP) office or other designated locations. All these options, including the locations of phones and how to request access, are clearly signposted throughout the college to ensure JS know exactly where and how to access a phone or contact the police at any time.

If a JS reports a suspected crime, the training team immediately contacts police via 999 or escorts them to the RMP unit or Adjutant to liaise with North Yorkshire police for swift action. Posters across accommodation and education blocks clearly display reporting channels, emergency numbers (999, 101), welfare, chaplaincy, and an anonymous form to the designated safeguarding lead, encouraging self-reporting by victims or witnesses. After notification, the Adjutant maintains police communication. Every police report triggers a Discipline report to the Army Chain of Command, Defence Serious Crime Unit, and 150 Provost Company RMP, ensuring formal, timely escalation.

Out of hours, duty staff led by a Duty Field Officer (major rank or above) are on-site, stationed on every accommodation floor and backed by a 24/7 guard shift, guaranteeing continuous support. Phones and personal electronic devices (PEDs) are secured during the day, with JS granted about two hours’ access each evening unless in training. During the day, JS can report concerns or seek help at the RMP office, welfare office, or guardroom. PED access can be requested anytime for justified reasons, such as contacting family.

If a JS leaves the college by walking out the front gate, a staff member shadows them for safety. Welfare concerns prompt police contact, parents are informed promptly, and the instructor escorts the JS to the station to confirm travel plans. This system ensures swift, barrier-free reporting and support, clear communication access, and supervised freedom of movement to safeguard welfare.

Question 82 Sir Roly Walker: Confirmation on whether the tactical ballistic plate project specifically includes female-contoured plates.

The Army’s priority remains to provide equitable levels of protection to all Service Personnel. Ambition is not a limiting factor in this endeavour; rather, the focus is on ensuring that Complex Geometry Body Armour meets the rigorous standards established for flat plates before progressing further. To this end, a capability change project for Complex Geometry Body Armour is being initiated, including the development of a comprehensive testing regime, with delivery of new plates expected to begin from 2029.

Concurrently, procurement of Tactical Ballistic Plates will continue; these plates, which replace OSPREY and Enhanced Combat Body Armour plates, will be available in four sizes to offer a better fit for all and reduce mass for the majority of Service Personnel. While the Tactical Ballistic Plates are a flat plate solution, the expanded sizing options will particularly benefit servicewomen. This careful approach ensures we do not compromise the safety of our servicewomen as we advance protective capabilities.