The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Philip Hammond)
I have today placed in the Library of the House a copy of a report into the condition of the reserves and delivery of the FR20 programme, compiled by the Future Reserves 2020 external scrutiny team. This House will know that the Defence Reform Act 2014 includes a statutory obligation from next year to commission and publish such a report. I have taken the decision to fulfil this obligation early.
I am grateful for the work of the team. I will take some short time to consider the report’s findings and recommendations and we will provide a full response to the team in due course.