The Army Careers Centre in Taunton will not be retained under the future Armed Forces Recruitment Service.

Recruitment activity currently supported through Taunton will transition into the Armed Forces Recruitment Service, delivered by Serco through a regional model. In the South West, Plymouth will be the enduring regional hub.

The Ministry of Defence recognises the importance of training and development for the Reserves and Civil Servants; they make a significant contribution to the defence of the country and form a critical part of our whole force.

We have protected the activity necessary for Reservists to complete their annual training requirements and achieve their Certificate of Efficiency, as we prioritise activity which contributes most directly to their readiness, deployability and operational effectiveness.

Our Civil Servants are supported to undertake the learning and development necessary to perform their roles effectively and develop the skills required to deliver Defence outputs. Training such as the Higher Command and Staff Course at the Defence Academy, and bespoke role-based training are open to Civil Servants and Service Personnel. This is underpinned by funding mechanisms and policies that promote equitable access to learning opportunities.

The Defence Investment Plan confirmed previous commitments to provide £9.2 billion over the next decade to deliver the Defence Housing Strategy and a generational renewal of military family housing. This work has started with 1,250 of the worst homes already upgraded, with more underway this year.

Nine out of ten military homes will be modernised or rebuilt, backed by a multi-billion-pound investment in military accommodation.

While there is clearly a lot to do across the estate to improve its condition to an acceptable standard, very significant improvements have already been made in the level of service provided. The latest data collected by Opinion Research Services on behalf of the MOD to gauge opinions on Defence housing shows that overall satisfaction with military homes has increased by12 percentage points over the past year, with 75% of families reporting satisfaction. This exceeds the national benchmark for landlords by four percentage points.

The Defence Investment Plan confirmed previous commitments to provide £9.2 billion over the next decade to deliver the Defence Housing Strategy and a generational renewal of military family housing. This work has started with 1,250 of the worst homes already upgraded, with more underway this year.

Nine out of ten military homes will be modernised or rebuilt, backed by a multi-billion-pound investment in military accommodation.

While there is clearly a lot to do across the estate to improve its condition to an acceptable standard, very significant improvements have already been made in the level of service provided. The latest data collected by Opinion Research Services on behalf of the MOD to gauge opinions on Defence housing shows that overall satisfaction with military homes has increased by12 percentage points over the past year, with 75% of families reporting satisfaction. This exceeds the national benchmark for landlords by four percentage points.

The Ministry of Defence’s Main Building in London has 3,681desks (kiosk and touch down desks are excluded) and the total number of staff assigned to Main Building is 4,621.

The ratio of desks to staff is 79.6% providing a ratio of 1.26 people per desk.

No such figure appears in the referenced document.

However, in the interests of providing a more complete answer, officials were asked to consider if this figure had basis elsewhere and, after some searching, identified that the figure referred to in the question actually came from the Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2025-2026 published on 15 July 2026.

The amount in question was a bulk write-off of irrecoverable War Pension Scheme (WPS) overpayments that were over six years old and fell outside the recoverable timeline by virtue of their age profile. There was no single or systemic cause of the overpayments which were often linked to changes in personal circumstances not promptly reported or identified.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question 23599 on the 7 September 2026.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-08-28/23599

The Government is committed to delivering the Strategic Defence Review's ambition to strengthen collaboration between Defence and industry through education and training. Existing arrangements remain in place pending the conclusion of that work.

The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) confirms previous commitments to provide £9.2 billion over the next decade to deliver the Defence Housing Strategy and a generational renewal of military family housing.

The DIP also detailed £2.7 billion spending on Service Family Accommodation in Financial Years (FY) 2026-27 to 2029-30

Funding for FY 2026-27 has been confirmed as £502 million. The funding profiles beyond FY 2026-27 will be agreed as part of the Departments financial planning process and will be further iterated through the annual Strategic Planning Cycle.

This Government remains firmly committed to our Reserve Forces. The Defence Investment Plan sets out how we will invest £4.2 billion on Reserves over the next four years. Individual annual settlements will be determined through Defence planning cycles and considering Service operational requirements.

Reservists are an integral part of the Whole Force, providing critical capabilities, specialist skills and operational support that strengthen Defence's ability to respond to the increasingly complex threats we face. Against a backdrop of heightened global instability and competing demands on Defence resources, we are prioritising activity, improving productivity and ensuring value for money across Defence.

Defence is already taking forward substantial work to develop the detailed implementation arrangements needed to deliver the commitments set out in the Defence Investment Plan. As that work continues, we are ensuring that investment supports Defence's strategic objectives, strengthens military capability and improves readiness across the force.

Defence has protected the activity necessary for reservists to complete their annual training requirements and achieve their Certificate of Efficiency, and the Defence Investment Plan provides a clear commitment for sustained investment in our Reserve Forces.

The Department continues to assess progress towards Full Service Implementation (FSI) of the Armed Forces Recruiting Service in October 2027 through established governance, planning and assurance arrangements. These include Implementation Boards and the Armed Forces Recruiting Board, the latter of which is chaired by the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. These boards allow for senior oversight of delivery progress, residual risk identification and the evidence required to support each Service Commencement Date.

The Department remains confident that FSI in October 2027 is achievable.

We are continuing to work with the Home Office on progressing policy and scope to deliver this commitment in a way that is fair, comprehensive and achievable.

Any funding for increasing the UK's Active Reserve forces will be considered as part of future Spending Reviews.

Given the imminent delivery of the Armed Forces Recruiting Service (AFRS), which will dramatically decrease the waiting time for candidates seeking to join the Armed Forces, Defence Ministers agreed that the resource cost of establishing a Tri-Service ‘Phase 0’ camp programme outweighed the potential benefits, especially during the transition to AFR. Ministers directed that the recommendation not be taken further at this time, and should be reviewed after the transition to AFR.

The British Armed Forces defines fighting power through three core, mutually supporting components detailed in doctrine (JDP 0-01): the conceptual, the moral, and the physical. Pastoral care, practical and financial support form part of the moral component and is therefore, central to our operational planning.

Any Defence sites currently or previously used for asylum accommodation are managed by the Home Office. Records and costs of damages to those sites are held by the Home Office and under the terms of the occupation agreement the Home Office is responsible for any costs arising from use of any MOD sites for asylum accommodation.

The Ministry of Defence is currently processing Cash Equivalent Value (CEV) requests received in April 2026. For members with more complex circumstances, and for pensioner Remedy cases where implementation of the guidance is still being finalised, the request date being processed may be earlier than April 2026.

The legislative deadline for all schemes is that CEVs should be provided to members within three months of the request. We are aware this is being exceeded at present in some cases. Some cases are currently taking longer due to the impact of 2015 Pension Remedy and implementation of revised actuarial factors.

The Ministry of Defence is currently processing Cash Equivalent Value (CEV) requests received in April 2026. For members with more complex circumstances, and for pensioner Remedy cases where implementation of the guidance is still being finalised, the request date being processed may be earlier than April 2026.

The legislative deadline for all schemes is that CEVs should be provided to members within three months of the request. We are aware this is being exceeded at present in some cases. Some cases are currently taking longer due to the impact of 2015 Pension Remedy and implementation of revised actuarial factors.

To date, the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) has paid out over £58 million to applicants, exceeding the £50 million minimum payout commitment. Defence continues to maximise awareness of the FRS among eligible veterans and encourage applications before the Scheme’s closure on 12 December 2026. The allocation of any unspent funds against the £75 million budget will be considered once the FRS has closed and all applications have been assessed.

The Army has assessed caretaker staffing requirements through the Army Caretaker Review, which considered the ongoing requirement for civilian caretaker roles across the Reserve and University Officers Training Corps estate.

The review found that sites could be maintained through alternative arrangements, including facilities management contracts and security systems.