The Government is committed to improving the living conditions of Service personnel. The Defence Investment Plan includes £1.4 billion over the next four years for Single Living Accommodation, supporting the modernisation of accommodation and improvements to living standards across the Defence estate.

Accommodation improvements are being delivered through a number of programmes, including Defence Estate Optimisation, Future Defence Infrastructure Services and the SLA Framework Alliance, which are now moving into major delivery phases.

Defence launched an independent Single Living Accommodation and Overseas Estate Review in January 2026 to identify further opportunities to improve the lived experience of Service personnel and ensure accommodation better supports capability and retention.

Every two years, the department surveys Service personnel to understand their satisfaction with SLA. Findings from the 2026 survey will be published in August 2026.

Alongside accommodation investment, the Department is continuing to implement the Defence Catering Strategy to improve food quality, dining facilities and the overall experience of personnel living and working on the Defence estate.

The Government fully recognises the benefits of cadets. Participation in the Cadet Forces has significant positive impacts on young people, increasing their performance at school, and improving their employment and career prospects.

The Strategic Defence Review recommended an expansion of in-school and community-based Cadet Forces across the UK of 30% by 2030. This timeline has recently been re-set in the Defence Investment Plan to 2035 as one of the measures required to increase the rate of Armed Forces transformation. Nevertheless, we are continuing to invest to expand and modernise the Cadet Forces and improve opportunities for young people across the UK.

Work is currently underway to determine how the 30% increase in cadet numbers - which equates to an additional 40,000 cadets - will be delivered. We have been undertaking a detailed assessment of the enablers required to support expansion. This is a key element in setting the foundations for sustainable growth.

We are also developing a new Cadets Action Plan which will focus on modernising the cadet experience, providing an attractive offer to retain and recruit adult volunteers, and ensuring that our cadets and volunteers have the right resources and support.

In addition, the first National Cadets Week will be held in October 2026 to celebrate and raise the profile of the Cadet Forces, one of the country's most effective youth organisations. This will showcase the MOD Cadet Forces and give thousands of young people across the country the opportunity to discover the benefits of the cadet experience.

Armed Forces Day (AFD) is an annual opportunity for the nation to show support for the Armed Forces community, including serving personnel, Service families, veterans and cadets. Traditionally held on the last Saturday in June, AFD fell this year on Saturday 27 June. More than 250 events were planned across the UK, and the National Event was hosted in Aldershot by Rushmoor Borough Council. MOD supported AFD event organisers through the AFD Grant Scheme, which provided eligible events with grants of up to £10,000. For 2026, MOD supported 130 events across the UK with £430,000 of grant funding.

In the run-up to AFD itself, a series of events were held to build momentum and raise awareness. The programme began with AFD Northern Ireland, traditionally held on the preceding Saturday, this year on Saturday 20 June 2026 . As the only AFD event in Northern Ireland, it enabled maximum participation from supporting military units and allowed an event comparable in scale to the National Event. This year’s event was held in Coleraine, hosted by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council and Mayor Dawn Huggins. More than 20,000 visitors attended and enjoyed displays including the RAF Falcons parachute display team, a Dakota flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), and military assets such as Challenger 2, Warrior and Foxhound vehicles, alongside a gun salute.

On Monday 22 June 2026, AFD Flag Raising ceremonies took place across the UK, enabling the public, various institutions and local authorities to demonstrate their support for the Armed Forces community. A highlight was the ceremony held at the Palace of Westminster, hosted by the Speaker of the House of Commons and attended by the Defence Secretary, the Minister for the Armed Forces, the Minister for Veterans and People and the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS).

Wednesday 24 June 2026 was Reserves Day, recognising the valuable contribution Reservists make to the Armed Forces. Reservists were encouraged to wear their uniforms in their civilian workplace to highlight their service. A reception was hosted by the Prime Minister at No.10 Downing Street for MOD Civil Servants who serve also as Reservists.

On Saturday 27 June 2026, more than 230 AFD events took place across the UK in appreciation of the Armed Forces community. These ranged from small tea-party-style gatherings to large-scale events attracting more than 10,000 visitors, enabling communities nationwide to both recognise and thank the Armed Forces.

The national focus for AFD was Aldershot, where Rushmoor Borough Council hosted this year’s Armed Forces Day National Event (AFDNE). As Defence’s flagship AFD event, AFDNE provided a national platform to recognise serving personnel, veterans, reservists, cadets and their families. It was a major, multi-agency event involving the MOD, local authorities, blue-light responders, and tri-Service Defence capability. It supported the Strategic Defence Review’s aim of renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve. More than 15,000 visitors attended, viewing military stands and assets including an A400M, a BBMF Dakota flypast, Chinook and Apache AH-64 helicopters, and a military parade featuring serving personnel, cadets and veterans.

AFD and the events that led up to it provided the ideal platform to enable the nation to further understand, engage with, and celebrate the work of our Armed Forces community.

The Defence Investment Plan sets out the Royal Navy’s (RN) approach to delivering the UK’s most advanced maritime air defence capability and the rationale for this approach. Rather than delivering this capability through a small number of large and expensive Type 83 destroyers, the RN will instead invest in a hybrid mix of crewed and uncrewed capabilities that will be more suited to facing the threats of modern warfare. The RN will procure at least six Common Combat Vessels (CCV) which will act as a control hub for uncrewed systems, thus extending the Navy’s reach, resilience and lethality.

Defence Engagement with Libya is focused on defence capacity building. This supports UK objectives across a range of priorities, including those related to border security and irregular migration.

The Royal Navy (RN) continues to enhance its seabed warfare capabilities through a combination of investment in new technologies, platforms, and international partnerships.

This includes the development of advanced autonomous and remotely operated systems under the Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) programme, which consists of deployable, uncrewed systems capable of surveying, monitoring and protecting the seabed. The RN has also established dedicated capabilities within its operational structure to focus on the protection of subsea assets, including undersea cables and pipelines, working closely with other Government Departments and allies.

The Defence Investment Plan outlined several investments into seabed warfare capabilities, including an additional £330 million critical underwater infrastructure protection capabilities, including upgrades and enhancements for RFA Proteus, and a £90 million investment in the autonomous minehunting programme to procure offshore support vessels (OSVs) in conjunction with Norway.

The Department continually considers and develops improvements to Integrated Air and Missile Defence systems, with investments prioritised appropriately against the assessed threat picture as part of the future Integrated Force. As set out in the Defence Investment Plan, the Government has committed over £750 million to provide short range drone protection for homeland and deployed forces. This includes Project PRESAGIUM, which builds on the recent success of Rapid Sentry, and an increasing suite of low-cost ground-based effectors.

The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) sets out the Government’s commitment to invest more than £5 billion in autonomous systems over the next four years, including drones and other uncrewed capabilities, with at least £210 million on low-cost, long-range one-way munitions and attack drones. The DIP also provides for investment in long-range missiles, autonomous systems and artificial intelligence to increase the lethality and effectiveness of the Armed Forces.

These investments will help deliver the Strategic Defence Review’s vision for a more integrated, technologically advanced and warfighting-ready force.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Ben Obese-Jecty) to Question 9871 on 24 June 2026:

The work to enable Envoy IV aircraft operations in non-benign airspace has been paused, and there is currently no definitive date for when this activity will recommence. The Department's programme priorities are kept under regular review to ensure alignment with operational requirements and available resources.

The Defence Investment Plan outlined an initial investment in new amphibious shipping to support the UK Commando Force, aiming to collaborate on the procurement of a new amphibious ship with the Netherlands, alongside investment in Joint Commando Craft in collaboration with Norway.

The British Army has an in-service digital artillery fire control system which has been continuously iterated and improved in partnership with industry for over a decade. We are continuing to enhance and evolve this capability, and as new artillery systems are procured and brought into service, they will be fully integrated with the fire control system.

The Ministry of Defence encourages competition in procurement to deliver value for money and strengthen resilience. We prioritise open and transparent competitions, publishing opportunities widely to attract a diverse supplier base. Early market engagement, including industry events and Prior Information Notices, helps shape requirements and maximise participation. The Department may also break down larger programmes into smaller lots where appropriate, enabling SMEs and non-traditional suppliers to compete.

Where competition is not feasible, robust single-source regulations ensure fair pricing and protect the taxpayer.

The UK Armed Forces, with the British Army at its core, maintains land forces designed to operate both independently and as part of NATO. The Army’s regular forces are maintained at graduated readiness able to deploy on operations in the UK and overseas. The Reserve forces provide essential depth, specialist skills, and scalability, with ongoing enhancements to their readiness and integration ensuring they remain a vital component of our overall capability.

Through the Strategic Defence Review, we are investing significantly in modernising equipment, improving sustainment, and accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies, including autonomous systems, to increase force lethality and endurance. The Armed Forces Bill 2026 contains measures that enhance the Strategic Reserve by, for example, increasing the maximum age limit for recall, enabling the use of experienced volunteer reservists when required, and giving the Secretary of State for Defence power to authorise recall for warlike operations that are being prepared or conducted.

The Government has accepted the Strategic Defence Review’s recommendation to introduce a Defence Readiness Bill. Engagement with Government departments and industry partners is ongoing to develop this legislation, which will deliver meaningful change and strengthen the readiness and resilience of our Armed Forces.

While the scale and duration of independent land campaigns are influenced by operational priorities and resource allocation, the UK Armed Forces are committed to maintaining and enhancing a balanced, integrated, and resilient land capability that meets the demands of current and future security challenges.

The UK Armed Forces, with the British Army at its core, maintains land forces designed to operate both independently and as part of NATO. The Army’s regular forces are maintained at graduated readiness able to deploy on operations in the UK and overseas. The Reserve forces provide essential depth, specialist skills, and scalability, with ongoing enhancements to their readiness and integration ensuring they remain a vital component of our overall capability.

Through the Strategic Defence Review, we are investing significantly in modernising equipment, improving sustainment, and accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies, including autonomous systems, to increase force lethality and endurance. The Armed Forces Bill 2026 contains measures that enhance the Strategic Reserve by, for example, increasing the maximum age limit for recall, enabling the use of experienced volunteer reservists when required, and giving the Secretary of State for Defence power to authorise recall for warlike operations that are being prepared or conducted.

The Government has accepted the Strategic Defence Review’s recommendation to introduce a Defence Readiness Bill. Engagement with Government departments and industry partners is ongoing to develop this legislation, which will deliver meaningful change and strengthen the readiness and resilience of our Armed Forces.

While the scale and duration of independent land campaigns are influenced by operational priorities and resource allocation, the UK Armed Forces are committed to maintaining and enhancing a balanced, integrated, and resilient land capability that meets the demands of current and future security challenges.

The former Secretary of State for Defence (John Healey) held discussions with the Irish Defence Minister, Helen McEntee, where they discussed the UK-Ireland Defence Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as well as ongoing support for Ukraine in March 2026.

The Secretary of State has yet to meet his Irish counterpart.

Responsibility for Defence’s sovereign satellite capability rests with the Secretary of State for Defence. The department works closely with colleagues across Government and industry partners to shape and inform the UK's position within Ofcom and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) on regulatory and spectrum matters. This coordination supports the protection of satellite assets and capabilities critical to national security.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has assessed international competition and regulatory developments relating to satellite spectrum, orbital access and governance as presenting a strategic risk to UK Defence capabilities. These risks are recognised within Defence programmes and are actively managed through risk governance frameworks. MOD safeguards capability through a combination of sovereign assets, commercial arrangements, international partnerships and through active engagement in international regulatory processes, alongside Ofcom and other Government departments.

The Department is aware of proposals being considered by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the wider space industry that have the potential to impact both military and civil satellite communications. Growth in demand for spectrum usage across space and terrestrial telecommunications sectors is driving demand for additional bandwidth.

These risks are recognised within Defence programmes, including SKYNET, and are linked to the broader dependency of the Government's wider reliance on assured access to the electromagnetic spectrum.

To mitigate these risks, the Department is actively engaged in international regulatory processes and works closely with Ofcom, other Government departments and Allies while also developing technical evidence to inform UK positions. These risks are formally managed within departmental risk frameworks, and mitigation measures are being development through cross-government and cross-programme collaboration.

The Ministry of Defence keeps the readiness of its Destroyer and Frigate fleets under continual review to meet operational tasking.

For security reasons, we do not routinely disclose elements of the Fleet's schedule and readiness profiles.