The number of FCA applicants refused due to hearing failure and the relative percentages for each of the former Commands are as follows: Eastern Command, in the period of 1 January 1998 to 30 June 1998 — 216 examined, nine failures, giving a failure rate of 4.2 per cent; Southern Command, in the period 1 September 1997 to 31 August 1998 — 714 examined, 198 failures, giving a failure rate of 27.8 per cent; Western Command, in the period 1 September 1997 to 31 March 1998 — 950 examined, 33 failures, giving a failure rate of 3.4 per cent; and the Curragh Command, in the period 1 January 1998 to 31 August 1998 — 144 examined, 19 failed, giving a failure rate of 13.2 per cent.
The Southern Command failure rates fell towards May but then increased. However, the total number examined in July and August was six and eight respectively, and so cannot be taken to be statistically significant or indicative of a trend. The rates over 11 months are as follows: October 1997, 33 per cent; November 1997, 26 per cent; December 1997, 20 per cent; January 1998, 41 per cent; February 1998, 27 per cent; March 1998, 49 per cent; April 1998, 25 per cent; May 1998, 12 per cent; June 1998, 17 per cent; July 1998, 17 per cent; and August 1998, 25 per cent.