The quantum Boltzmann collision operator is expanded to yield a degenerate form of the Fokker–Planck collision operator. This is analysed using Rosenbluth potentials to give a degenerate analogue of the Shkarofsky operator. The distribution function is then expanded about an equilibrium Fermi–Dirac distribution function using a tensor perturbation formulation to give a zeroth-order and a first-order collision operator. These equations are shown to satisfy the relevant conservation equations. It is shown that the distribution function relaxes to a Fermi–Dirac form through electron–electron collisions.