Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the merits of the Armed Forces Day Grant.

Armed Forces Day is a chance to show support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community: from currently serving troops to Service families, veterans and cadets. There are many ways for people, communities and organisations across the country to show their support and get involved.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) assesses and distributes grants totalling £375,000 per annum to support both the National and Regional Armed Forces Day events across the country.

Each year the MOD partners with the Cabinet Office to undertake maturity self-assurance exercises for these grants, to ensure that the current policy for grants remains up to date and that funds are used for their intended purpose. Compliance gaps have been identified in some areas and so Grant Agreements are now a basic requirement of the standards applied to all Armed Forces Day grants, including all legacy grants which are rolled over year-on-year.