Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 16 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, whether the (a) Defence Research and Evaluation organisation and (b) UK Defence Innovation will be public sector arm’s length bodies.

A decision on the delivery model for a Defence Research and Evaluation (DRE) organisation has not yet been made and will be aligned with the National Armaments Director (NAD) Group organisational design as part of Defence Reform. Details of which will be announced in due course. The Strategic Defence Review stated that in forming the DRE the Department may wish to keep the Dstl brand. Dstl is a widely respected brand internationally and nationally. Dstl has been part of the NAD Group since April, and Dstl’s CEO reports to the National Armaments Director. Dstl is an Arms Length Body (ALB), but its status is being reviewed as part of a review of ALBs and the work to form the NAD Group.

The UK Defence Innovation organisation will not be an ALB. It will report to the National Armaments Director as part of the wider NAD Group.