Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions in the Defence training estate on the likelihood of achieving the Strategic Defence Review 2025's reserve personnel targets.

Last year, this Government set out a clear, long-term vision to transform Defence through the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025, establishing a path for the next decade and beyond.

The SDR is clear that Reserve Forces are integral to a future force, with an emphasis on increasing the proportion of trained, deployable and routinely utilised personnel. This Government is committed to increasing the proportion of active reserves by 20%, when funding allows. Delivery of this ambition is dependent on a range of enablers, including the suitability and accessibility of the Defence training estate.

The Ministry of Defence recognises that the training estate is a critical component of force generation and readiness. Accordingly, any reductions or rationalisation of the estate are assessed against their impact on operational outputs, including the ability of both Regulars and Reserves to train effectively.