Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department’s Strategic Defence Review, published 2 June 2025, what progress he has made on increasing the RAF reserves.

The RAF Reserve total strength has increased by 4.73% between July 2025 and July 2026.

This has been achieved through measures such as enhancing recruitment processes by expanding medical assessment capacity, increasing specialist selection events, and improving candidate progression and retention.

Furthermore, the tri-Service Armed Forces Recruiting Service, launching in 2027, will provide a streamlined single-entry point and a new digital platform to make recruitment faster, more accessible, and reduce delays for reservists.