Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 77 of his Department’s Strategic Defence Review, published 2 June 2025, what progress he has made on using impactful but low-cost activities that offer a spread bet against unpredictable future developments by maintaining understanding of partner countries and global complexities.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Strategic Defence Review recognised the value of impactful but low-cost activities. Since the review was released, the Government has published the public summary of the Defence Diplomacy Strategy and is implementing the Strategy across Defence. This includes improving how Defence prioritises and coordinates international activity, alongside continued delivery of high-level engagement, defence education and training, defence exports and technology collaboration.
In addition, The Defence Investment Plan sets out how Defence is implementing the Strategic Defence Review through international partnerships, capability cooperation, military training, intelligence sharing, defence exports and investment in the global Defence Diplomacy network
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 57 of his department's Strategic Defence Review, published 2 June 2025, what progress has been made on a pivot to outcomes-based partnerships with start-ups, scale-ups and spinouts.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is already implementing the Strategic Defence Review commitment to pivot towards outcomes-based partnerships with start-ups, scale-ups and spinouts through the establishment of UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), which launched in July 2025.
UKDI is bringing together Defence innovation activity into a single system focused on solving clearly defined Defence problems and accelerating successful innovations into operational capability.
This approach places greater emphasis on outcomes rather than processes by linking innovators directly to Defence needs, supporting the development of minimum viable capabilities, and ensuring that promising technologies have a clear route to adoption within Defence programmes.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 57 of his department's Strategic Defence Review, published 2 June 2025, what anchor partnerships with trusted universities have been made to leverage Government-funded world-class S&T more effectively.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence has launched the Defence Universities Alliance, bringing together 35 universities to strengthen collaboration on research, skills and talent development. This work has been informed by engagement across Government and supports the Department's wider Science, Technology and Innovation ambitions set out in both the Strategic Defence Review and Defence Industrial Strategy.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 17 of his department's Strategic Defence Review, published 2 June 2025, in what way UK Defence is delivering for the UK economy; and in what way UK defence is delivering for the warfighter.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Defence Investment Plan will see £298 billion invested over four years and is transforming the Armed Forces through investment in autonomy, artificial intelligence, munitions, the Digital Targeting Web and modernised maritime, land and air capabilities. This ensures our people have the technology, equipment and operational advantage needed to deter threats and, if required, fight and win.
For the Royal Navy, this includes investment in a New Hybrid Navy, combining conventional platforms with autonomous and uncrewed systems. Investment in new frigates, support ships, autonomous vessels and critical underwater infrastructure protection will support British industry and skilled employment while increasing the Navy's lethality, resilience and ability to operate alongside NATO allies.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 110 of his Department’s Strategic Defence Review, published 2 June 2025, what progress he has made on using advanced simulation for training.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Army continues to make progress in the use of advanced simulation to support training. Over the past 12 months, advanced simulation has been increasingly integrated into collective training exercises, helping to provide wider Brigade or Divisional context for training audiences.
This approach also supports validation activity by allowing units to train in a broader operational setting. Elements of individual training are also increasingly delivered in simulated environments, helping to keep training aligned with current equipment, tactics and real-world threats.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made since the publication of the Strategic Defence Review in reforming training and education.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
Since the publication of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) work on the Whole Force by default training and education is progressing across a number of strands. This includes the strategic work around the Pan Defence Skills Framework (PDSF) launched in March 2026 which aims to ensure that skills are transferable across Defence, allowing improved workforce management, as well as helping individuals to better shape their careers. PDSF is the first skills framework spanning military personnel and civil servants. The framework provides a common approach to defining, recording and validating skills, creating greater visibility of workforce capability across Defence and supporting a more integrated, whole force approach to workforce planning, training and career development. A key enabler is Defence-wide onboarding to the framework, which is continuing through to spring 2027.
Further work is continuing to look at areas of training and education to consider Whole Force and integrated training solutions that will improve productivity and increase efficiency. Areas that are currently being reviewed include Defence Engineering training, supporting the development of science, technology, engineering and mathematic skills across Defence, which in the longer term also addresses broader skills shortfalls across society. Further areas under consideration include the training and education of our Reserve Forces, and the outcome will inform future work.
In line with wider Defence Reform transformation introduced in April 2026, significant reform of Defence training and education has taken place. Defence has established clear responsibilities and authorities for training and education within the Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ), supported by new governance structures designed to improve decision-making and coherency across Defence. As part of the clarification of ownership, the MSHQ is in the process of writing a new Defence Training and Education Strategy, and supporting plan, that will provide a vision centred around improving adaptability, driving integration and enabling readiness through reform of training and education across Defence.
As a result of these changes, the lived experience of our sailors, soldiers, and aviators have been impacted by reform in several areas. One example is in the Defence Accreditation Review which is piloting AI-supported tools to help expand opportunities for Defence personnel to gain recognised civilian qualifications from their military training.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 69 of his Department's Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, what progress his Department has made on rolling out the Pan-Defence Skills Framework.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
Since the publication of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) work on the Whole Force by default training and education is progressing across a number of strands. This includes the strategic work around the Pan Defence Skills Framework (PDSF) launched in March 2026 which aims to ensure that skills are transferable across Defence, allowing improved workforce management, as well as helping individuals to better shape their careers. PDSF is the first skills framework spanning military personnel and civil servants. The framework provides a common approach to defining, recording and validating skills, creating greater visibility of workforce capability across Defence and supporting a more integrated, whole force approach to workforce planning, training and career development. A key enabler is Defence-wide onboarding to the framework, which is continuing through to spring 2027.
Further work is continuing to look at areas of training and education to consider Whole Force and integrated training solutions that will improve productivity and increase efficiency. Areas that are currently being reviewed include Defence Engineering training, supporting the development of science, technology, engineering and mathematic skills across Defence, which in the longer term also addresses broader skills shortfalls across society. Further areas under consideration include the training and education of our Reserve Forces, and the outcome will inform future work.
In line with wider Defence Reform transformation introduced in April 2026, significant reform of Defence training and education has taken place. Defence has established clear responsibilities and authorities for training and education within the Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ), supported by new governance structures designed to improve decision-making and coherency across Defence. As part of the clarification of ownership, the MSHQ is in the process of writing a new Defence Training and Education Strategy, and supporting plan, that will provide a vision centred around improving adaptability, driving integration and enabling readiness through reform of training and education across Defence.
As a result of these changes, the lived experience of our sailors, soldiers, and aviators have been impacted by reform in several areas. One example is in the Defence Accreditation Review which is piloting AI-supported tools to help expand opportunities for Defence personnel to gain recognised civilian qualifications from their military training.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 68 of his Department's Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, what progress his Department has made on whole force by default training.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
Since the publication of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) work on the Whole Force by default training and education is progressing across a number of strands. This includes the strategic work around the Pan Defence Skills Framework (PDSF) launched in March 2026 which aims to ensure that skills are transferable across Defence, allowing improved workforce management, as well as helping individuals to better shape their careers. PDSF is the first skills framework spanning military personnel and civil servants. The framework provides a common approach to defining, recording and validating skills, creating greater visibility of workforce capability across Defence and supporting a more integrated, whole force approach to workforce planning, training and career development. A key enabler is Defence-wide onboarding to the framework, which is continuing through to spring 2027.
Further work is continuing to look at areas of training and education to consider Whole Force and integrated training solutions that will improve productivity and increase efficiency. Areas that are currently being reviewed include Defence Engineering training, supporting the development of science, technology, engineering and mathematic skills across Defence, which in the longer term also addresses broader skills shortfalls across society. Further areas under consideration include the training and education of our Reserve Forces, and the outcome will inform future work.
In line with wider Defence Reform transformation introduced in April 2026, significant reform of Defence training and education has taken place. Defence has established clear responsibilities and authorities for training and education within the Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ), supported by new governance structures designed to improve decision-making and coherency across Defence. As part of the clarification of ownership, the MSHQ is in the process of writing a new Defence Training and Education Strategy, and supporting plan, that will provide a vision centred around improving adaptability, driving integration and enabling readiness through reform of training and education across Defence.
As a result of these changes, the lived experience of our sailors, soldiers, and aviators have been impacted by reform in several areas. One example is in the Defence Accreditation Review which is piloting AI-supported tools to help expand opportunities for Defence personnel to gain recognised civilian qualifications from their military training.