Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 92 of the Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June 2025, how many (a) public engagements and (b) private meetings Ministers in their Department have undertaken related to the national conversation on defence and security.

My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has regular discussions with officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience, and associated public communications.

As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the national conversation will be a multi-year engagement designed to embed a whole-of-society approach, where Government, businesses, and the public all play a part in strengthening our resilience. This addresses the risks we face, including threats below and above the threshold of an armed attack.

The Department, with NHS England and health partners, is actively supporting this work. This includes working with defence partners on Reception Arrangements for Military Patients into the health system.