Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has implemented a training programme to provide civil servants with skills to support its transition to net zero.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) are committed to developing and maintaining subject-knowledge on Net Zero, climate change and wider environmental issues through continual personal and professional development.

The MOD are active participants of cross-Government Learning & Development training led by the Cabinet Office and the Government Skills & Curriculum Unit (GSCU). We welcome the new Government Curriculum and the inclusion of modules on the implications of Net Zero, climate change and wider environmental issues for Government.

To further strengthen knowledge building and skills, MoD has corporate memberships of professional bodies. We are working to maximise regular access to a wide range of accredited defence, environment and sustainability training courses at awareness through to expert levels. This commitment to understanding and uptake of crucial skills will assist staff and the armed forces in this fast moving and rapidly changing area.