Oral Answers to Questions

Mike Wood Excerpts
Monday 19th October 2015

(8 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Will Quince Portrait Will Quince (Colchester) (Con)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

1. What steps he is taking to increase the number of cadet units in schools.

Mike Wood Portrait Mike Wood (Dudley South) (Con)
- Hansard - -

5. What steps he is taking to increase the number of cadet units in schools.

Jeremy Lefroy Portrait Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

12. What steps he is taking to increase the number of cadet units in schools.

--- Later in debate ---
Julian Brazier Portrait Mr Brazier
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

Those 145 extra units will all be in state schools. One of the new school cadet forces that we have formed is in north-east England and started against a very difficult background, but it is now so successful that pupils are required to show that they have completed a full year of good attendance and good behaviour before they can join it.

Mike Wood Portrait Mike Wood
- Hansard - -

As a former flight sergeant in a combined cadet force, I have benefited from the advantages provided by cadet forces in state schools that the Minister has described. Will the Minister join me on a visit to Brierley Hill Squadron’s air training corps in Brockmoor to see the excellent work that is being done with young people from a range of backgrounds?

Julian Brazier Portrait Mr Brazier
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I am most envious of my hon. Friend: I am afraid that I only made lance corporal in the CCF. His invitation is very tempting. I will be making a number of visits to CCFs—indeed, I was with the sea cadets yesterday, Trafalgar day, in Trafalgar Square —but I cannot promise an immediate visit to his constituency.