Oral Answers to Questions

Danny Beales Excerpts

Monday 3rd November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Al Carns]

I can assure the hon. Member that those increased training missions are to support an increased deployment across Europe, highlighting the issues, but I will meet the Minister to talk through those issues and see if we can make some slight changes.

[Danny Beales (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) (Lab)]

12. What steps he is taking to increase the number of cadets.

[The Minister for Veterans and People (Louise Sandher-Jones)]

As announced in the strategic defence review, we are working to deliver a 30% expansion of in-school and community-based cadet forces by 2030. The campaign is backed by £70 million of new investment and will increase our cadets by an estimated 40,000 across the UK, providing the opportunity for many more young people to enjoy the fantastic benefits of the cadet experience.

[Danny Beales]

I recently had the honour of visiting the RAF air cadets in Uxbridge, where I was shown at first hand the amazing experiences that the cadets offers to young people. As well as being a route into the armed forces, they learn new science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, travel the UK and get their Duke of Edinburgh award, and some also pick up a musical instrument for the first time. This is why it is vital that we expand the cadets through the 30 by 30 initiative. To enable that to take place, what consideration has been given to how we enable more people to volunteer to run cadet forces and to how they can access funding to expand their facilities?

[Louise Sandher-Jones]

I am delighted to hear about the fantastic opportunities given by the air cadets in my hon. Friend’s constituency. I can assure him that delivering the 30 by 30 expansion programme requires a detailed assessment of key foundational areas, including cadet growth, the adult volunteer proposition and the cadet estate. Planning is under way to ensure that the activities yield maximum gain and that the fantastic benefits of the cadet experience are available to more young people across the country.