Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 92 of the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, how many (a) public engagements and (b) private meetings Ministers in their Department have undertaken related to the national conversation on defence and security.

The Secretary of State for Defence has regular discussions with officials, external experts and Ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience, and associated public communications.

As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation will be a multi-year engagement designed to embed a whole-of-society approach, where Government, businesses, and the public all play a part in strengthening our resilience. This addresses the risks we face, including threats below and above the threshold of an armed attack.

The Ministry of Defence is actively supporting this work as reflected in recent speeches by the Prime Minister and the Chief of the Defence Staff at the Munich Security Conference.

The Ministry of Defence continues to work closely with the Cabinet Office and wider Government Departments, contributing towards cross-Government efforts to increase public awareness and resilience to the most serious risks we face, including conflict scenarios.