Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with refence to the Council of Reserve Forces and Cadets’ Associations' Annual Statutory Report 2024, published on 17 December 2024, what steps he has taken to ensure training courses are adapted to take account of the needs of reservists.

We are very grateful for the work of the External Scrutiny Team in producing their Council of Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations Annual Statutory Report 2024.

All Ministry of Defence (MOD) training courses are delivered in accordance with Defence Systems Approach to Training, including for Reservists; this is a formal iterative process to continually improve course delivery, integrate learning technologies and formally record student feedback, resulting in improved changes to Course Programmes.

Many Defence courses now offer a modular approach to completion via the Defence Learning Environment which tracks and accurately records student progress. This has provided significant flexibility, allowing Reservists to complete courses in a way that fits around their employment needs and family commitments.

Adaptations include tailoring to deliver training locally at weekends or in blocks of time that are accessible, allowing Reservists to balance their civilian and military commitments effectively.