Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2025 to Question 32722 on Reserve Forces: Retirement, whether the review will consider readmitting former reservists if the age of retirement is changed.

I am grateful for the contribution of our Reserve Forces who provide the UK with the ability to meet the threats we face at home and overseas, with the scale, skills, agility and connection to society that it needs, in a cost-effective way.

Alongside the Strategic Defence Review’s interest in Reserves, and in tandem with the transformational work already underway in Defence, I am reviewing the Reserves landscape, in a meaningful and impactful way, to ensure that we are making the most of the unique skills our Reserves offer Defence.