Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the compatibility of (a) comments made in the SDSR on funding for a 20 per cent increase the reserves with (b) comments made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at col.705 in Hansard volume 779 on 26 January 2026 on funding for the reserves.

I am grateful for the contribution of our Reserve Forces, who help the UK Armed Forces meet the threats we face at home and abroad, with the scale, skills, agility and connection to society that we need in a cost‑effective way. The diversity of knowledge, skills and experience that Reserves bring from their civilian and military careers is an invaluable strength.

The Strategic Defence Review set out a clear mandate to strengthen the UK’s Reserve Forces as an integral part of the Whole Force. Building on this, the Government is taking decisive action through the Armed Forces Bill to strengthen the UK’s Strategic Reserve – former Service personnel with an ex‑Regular and Recall Reserve liability – ensuring Defence can draw on their valuable skills and experience in times of crisis.

The Bill introduces measures that will strengthen readiness and resilience, including changes to recall liability across the Regular and Volunteer Reserves. These measures will increase the maximum age for recall, align recall liability across all three Services, and provide greater flexibility to recall personnel for warlike preparations, in addition to circumstances of national danger or emergency.

Alongside these legislative measures, Defence has increased funding for the Reserve Forces, reflecting their growing importance to our national security and our commitment to ensuring they can be used more effectively.

Taken together, these reforms will re‑energise our connection with the Strategic Reserve, increase the Active Reserve, and ensure Defence can rapidly mobilise a broad pool of experienced personnel with critical skills – including in cyber, intelligence, medicine and communications – during periods of heightened threat or transition to war. This approach complements our highly capable Volunteer Reserves and aligns with the steps many NATO allies are taking to strengthen their own resilience.