The number of Army vehicles identified in cases involving the incorrect movement or authorisation of non-taskworthy vehicles more than doubled between 2023 and 2025, according to figures released by the Ministry of Defence.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard disclosed the figures in response to a written parliamentary question from Liberal Democrat MP Alex Brewer, who asked what assessment had been made of cases involving Army vehicles with reported defects being used by personnel and what action had been taken.
Pollard said the Army routinely monitors the condition and safety of its vehicle fleet through engineering management processes, with inspections, supervisory checks and assurance activity recorded through the Joint Asset Management and Engineering Solutions system, known as JAMES.
He said: “The Army routinely assesses the serviceability and safety of its vehicle fleet through established engineering management processes. These include maintenance inspections, supervisory checks and assurance activity recorded and managed on the Joint Asset Management and Engineering Solutions (JAMES) Management Information System.”
According to the figures, Land Equipment Assurance Team inspections identified eight vehicles in 2023 in cases involving the incorrect movement or authorisation of a non-taskworthy vehicle. That rose to 10 in 2024 and 18 in 2025. The 2025 figure represents an increase of 80 per cent compared with the previous year and more than double the number recorded in 2023.
Pollard said: “The Land Equipment Assurance Team inspections capture findings specifically related to the incorrect movement or authorisation of non-taskworthy (NT) vehicles. The findings recorded over the last three full years are as follows; 2023, 8; 2024, 10; 2025, 18.”
The MOD stressed that the figures should not be interpreted as showing that soldiers were unknowingly operating vehicles that were unsafe.
Pollard said: “This data should not be read as evidence that unsafe vehicles were unknowingly used but instead it records a policy breach associated with the journey or authorisation of a NT vehicle on JAMES.”
In practice, the figures therefore relate to breaches of Army engineering and vehicle-authorisation procedures involving vehicles recorded as non-taskworthy on the management system, rather than a count of accidents or confirmed cases in which personnel were unknowingly placed in unsafe vehicles.
Pollard said units are required to act when breaches are discovered, dealing with the immediate issue while reinforcing the relevant engineering procedures.
He said: “Where non-compliance is identified, units are instructed to take corrective action by addressing the immediate issue, reinforcing engineering policy and capturing lessons to prevent recurrence.”
