Mr Nicholas Fang: To ask the Minister for Defence what is the average number of downgraded personnel in each annual cohort of full-time National Servicemen and how many of these are assigned to clerical or administrative jobs each year.

Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen: Mdm speaker, National Servicemen are medically assigned a Physical Employment Standard or PES, according to their medical history and health condition. The PES of the full-time National Serviceman (NSF) is one factor which determines their suitability for various vocations within the SAF.  It is not the only factor, it is one factor. Other factors include the SAF's operational and manpower requirements, as well as the educational qualification of the individual and his physical fitness.  But generally, PES A and B full-time National Servicemen can be deployed to all vocations, while PES C NSFs can be deployed to combat support and combat service support vocations. Mr Fang asked for percentages. The corresponding percentages for PES A is 27%, PES B is 58% and PES C is 8% at enlistment.

PES E full-time National Servicemen have medical conditions which limit their physical activity but some can still be deployed for combat service support vocations.  PES E form 7% of full-time National Servicemen, with 2.5% assigned to clerical and administrative roles within the SAF.