Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what data his Department holds relating to the closure of air cadet squadrons due to insufficient electrical compliance documentation.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC) are committed to providing a safe and high-quality environment for all members. Following a rigorous audit of statutory compliance records, activity has been temporarily suspended at several sites across the country. The suspensions were required to protect cadets and volunteers and continue to ensure compliance with safety, legal and operational duties.
Work is ongoing to ensure these spaces are useable and safe as soon as possible.
Suspension of activities at the sites does not equate to the closure of the Air Training Corps (ATC) Squadrons permanently. Whilst the work is being completed, RAFAC have worked closely with Cadet Force Adult Volunteers to identify and utilise temporary community facilities for use of Air Cadets Dedicated work is ongoing at pace to source further temporary spaces for the remaining Squadrons.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) reports Special Severance Payments in its Annual Report and Accounts in accordance with HM Treasury and FREM requirements. For core MOD, the audited figures published in the Annual Report and Accounts are as follows (rounded to the nearest £1,000):
2022–23: £556,000 (14 cases)
2023–24: £1,074,000 (13 cases)
2024–25: £3,418,000 (40 cases)
In addition, the UK Hydrographic Office has reported two Special Severance Payments in 2025, totalling £80,000. UKHO data is not included in the MOD Annual Report and Accounts as UKHO publishes its own accounts separately.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any a) instruction and b) guidance is given to Instructors at Army Training Centres not to fail recruits undergoing Phase 1 training.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The British Army upholds consistently high professional standards for all recruits undertaking Basic Training. Throughout this period, recruits are trained and mentored to ensure they meet and maintain these standards, not only during Basic Training, but throughout the entirety of their military careers.
Instructors seek first to “train in” rather than “select out” individuals. Recruits will not progress beyond Basic Training until they have met the prescribed Basic Training output standard.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The size and set-up of each ministerial private office can vary significantly, as they are often determined by the specific requirements and nature of the workload involved at any given time. This flexibility ensures that each office is best equipped to meet its unique responsibilities and demands.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date did the Defence Accident Investigation Branch investigation into the noise and vibration injuries sustained on Exercise Titan Storm a) commence and b) conclude.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As I confirmed to the House during Defence Oral Questions on 16 March 2026, we have received the final Army safety investigation report, and work is ongoing to agree next steps. The department continues to engage with General Dynamics on the report and next steps, as we have since Exercise TITAN STORM. I will update the House after Easter recess to outline next steps.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date did the Army Safety Investigation Team investigation into the noise and vibration injuries sustained on Exercise Titan Storm a) commence and b) conclude.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As I confirmed to the House during Defence Oral Questions on 16 March 2026, we have received the final Army safety investigation report, and work is ongoing to agree next steps. The department continues to engage with General Dynamics on the report and next steps, as we have since Exercise TITAN STORM. I will update the House after Easter recess to outline next steps.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what phase the Defence Reform programme is currently in.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Having determined top level accountabilities and implemented the associate structural changes to establish the new four Areas on 1 April 2025, Defence Reform is currently in a design phase, during which the new Defence Operating Model is being developed and agreed. From 1 April 2026, Defence Reform moves to the next phase, implementing and refining the operating model in live operation. This implementation phase runs through financial year 2026-27 and includes completing remaining detailed design, informed by early experience of live operation. The aim is to complete implementation and detailed design by 1 April 2027. From that point, responsibility for embedding the Defence Operating Model will sit fully with Defence operating on a business-as-usual basis, with change sustained through normal leadership and governance arrangements, rather than programme mechanisms.
Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the levels of imported ammonia required for munitions manufacturing.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Ammonia, an important precursor in the production of energetics and munitions, is one of many chemicals critical to defence manufacturing and, as such, supply levels are kept under review.
The levels of ammonia required for munitions manufacturing differs between programmes. The fulfilment of those requirements is managed by Defence suppliers, and the MOD works closely with them to monitor and review national and international supply networks to ensure availability and manage risks to Defence outputs.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the outcome of the Defence Accident Investigation Branch investigation into the noise and vibration injuries sustained on Exercise Titan Storm.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As I confirmed to the House during Defence Oral Questions on 16 March 2026, we have received the final Army safety investigation report, and work is ongoing to agree next steps. The department continues to engage with General Dynamics on the report and next steps, as we have since Exercise TITAN STORM. I will update the House after Easter recess to outline next steps.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Remediable Service Statement's are outstanding as of 19 March 2026, and what estimate he has made as to when all remaining statements will be issued.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As at 16 March 2026, the number of members awaiting their initial Remediable Service Statements (RSS) was 37,515.
100,592 members have successfully been issued with their RSS. Any pension adjustments arising from members' elections will be backdated with interest to ensure members receive their full entitlement.
The Ministry of Defence is working with the scheme administrator to finalise the timeline for issuing all RSSs. Once a timeline has been finalised, this will be communicated with members.
Regular progress updates are available to members at the following link on the Armed Forces Pensions gov.uk website: