The British Army takes the health and wellbeing of its military working horses (MWH) extremely seriously. All of our horses are well looked after, exercised daily and have 24/7 direct access to world-class veterinary care.

Before riding in public, Service personnel undertake training to prove their competence and are fully compliant with the Highway Code when exercising horses on public highways. A progressive programme of activity, including exposure to London traffic, military bands and environmental noise, ensures our horses are properly and safely prepared for their ceremonial role.

The Army has three mounted units in London: the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, the Band of the Household Cavalry and King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. All undertake State Ceremonial and Public Duties in Central London and Windsor throughout the year.

Steps have already been taken to enhance the environment for our MWHs by creating more loose boxes, which provide greater space and comfort to the horses while stabled. Two to three months per year, the horses are also provided with an alternative environment by being sent out to pasture and the herd often visit Norfolk for two weeks, offering time for daily exercise in the countryside and along local beaches.

The Army Foundation College (Harrogate) (AFC(H)) does not employ an on-site counselling psychotherapist. There is a Wellbeing Support Officer nested within the College welfare team, who is a trained counsellor. Additionally, the Women’s Royal Volunteer Service operate a walk-in service to allow Junior Soldiers to talk to someone outside the military, and a Child and Adolescents Mental Health Services nurse is embedded within the Medical Centre Primary Care Team.

There is no periodic report that consolidates the activity of the various support networks listed above, but any Junior Soldier who has presented as a cause for concern will be discussed at the Commanding Officer’s Monthly Case Review to ensure the right level of support is offered. Any urgent concerns are heard at case conferences to progress an appropriate Care Action Plan.

The Armed Forces have entry Medical Employment Standards against which potential adolescent recruits are assessed. These permit entry of individuals with a history of depression or anxiety if they meet specific, medically approved criteria. These individuals are not medically downgraded; they are considered medically fit for enlistment.

The Army delivers training and education to instructors on how to prepare recruits for coping with stressful situations and to understand not only the technical and physical needs of recruits, but also their psychological and social needs. There are enhanced welfare support facilities in all Basic Training locations, with both Army and external agencies able to offer advice and support outside the Chain of Command. Risks are proactively sought out and actively managed in accordance with Army policies and civilian best practices.

Between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2023, fewer than five UK Regular untrained personnel at Army Foundation College (Harrogate) were medically discharged with a mental or behavioural disorder cited as the principal or contributory cause. Below is a table with the breakdown per year and proportion.

Table 1: Army Foundation College (Harrogate) Regular untrained personnel¹ medically discharged with a principal or contributory cause of a mental or behavioral disorder, by financial year, numbers and percentages²

1 April 2018 to 31 March 2023

~ In line with JSP 200, the suppression methodology has been applied to ensure individuals are not inadvertently identified dependent on the risk of disclosure. Numbers fewer than five have been suppressed and presented as ‘~’.

¹ Regular untrained personnel, including MPGS and Gurkhas.

² Number of medically discharged personnel as a percentage of all untrained Regular Army Foundation College (Harrogate) personnel on strength within that year.

This response excludes any untrained personnel who are discharged under administrative categories, albeit on medical grounds.

Information on medical discharges has been sourced from electronic medical records (DMICP) and manually entered paper documents (FMed 23s). The primary purpose of these medical documents is to ensure the appropriate administration of each individual patient’s discharge. Statistical analysis and reporting are secondary functions.

The Prime Minister set out his five priorities earlier this year. The Department's work to increase trust in the UK's audit, corporate reporting and corporate governance system contributes to the second priority, growing the British economy, in part by helping to manage risks that could lead to disorderly corporate failures.

It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s performance of its universal service obligations. In May, Ofcom announced it had opened an investigation into Royal Mail’s failure to meet its delivery targets for 2022/23. This will consider whether the reasons for its failure were within the company’s control or if there were exceptional factors to explain why it missed its targets. Ministers and officials meet Royal Mail in its capacity as the universal service provider however, as it is a private business, operational decisions, including staffing levels, are the direct responsibility of Royal Mail management.

Ofcom’s regulatory framework requires Royal Mail to ensure that, for the UK as a whole, the premises of not less than 95% of users of postal services are within 5 kilometres of an access point (such as a post box, a Post Office or a Customer Service Point within a Delivery Office) and, in all postcode areas, the premises of 95% of users of postal services are within 10 kilometres of such an access point.

In its 2022 review of postal regulations, which included a public consultation, Ofcom decided to maintain this regulation as it considered that it remained appropriate to ensure widespread access to the universal postal service.