Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of their Department's employees are recorded as having a disability.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) publishes biannual diversity statistics on its civilian staff excluding those employed by organisations with delegated personnel functions (Trading funds, DE&S Bespoke Trading Entity, Executive Agencies, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Locally engaged civilians (LECs)). The most recent statistics were published in December 2022 at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mod-diversity-dashboard-october-2022.

Table 6 - Disability Representation of MOD Main Civilian Personnel shows that as at 1 October 2022, 11.5% of MOD Main civilian personnel had an active declaration of disabled.

The MOD D&I Strategy 2018-30 for its civilian workforce has specific measurable and achievable aims to increase representation of staff with a disability across the department, including the Senior Civil Service. The MOD is an accredited ‘Disability Confident Scheme Leader’ and encourages candidates with disabilities to apply to Defence.

The MOD has several initiatives to support disabled personnel across the whole of Defence, including the Defence and civilian networks and champions. The Civil Service Workplace Adjustment Service is well established, offering specialist advice and access to a review route for disabled employees experiencing difficulties in securing the adjustments they need. The service includes a Workplace Adjustment Passport to facilitate the seamless retention of adjustments on a change of line manager, job role or move between business areas.