Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to increase participation by (a) young people and (b) young people from (i) disadvantaged and (ii) underrepresented communities in Cadet Units in Fylde constituencies.

We are committed to sustaining and growing the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Cadet Forces across the UK, including in the Fylde constituency. Uplift in Cadet numbers will benefit all regions of the UK, but it will be targeted at those communities most in need.

Given the fantastic benefits which can be gained from the Cadet experience we want more young people to be able to join and we aim to significantly grow both community and school Cadet numbers, expanding by 30% by 2030, with an ambition to reach 250,000 in the longer term.

To encourage young people to join, the Cadet Force headquarters run national and regional marketing campaigns showcasing the benefits of personal development, adventure, and community involvement. The Cadet Forces are also very active on social media with regular posts publicising activities and further information about joining is also posted on the Cadet Forces’ websites.

The Cadet Forces are inclusive organisations, committed to equality of opportunity for young people with activities heavily subsidised to ensure inclusivity. We are proud of the fact that we invest a significant amount in our Cadet Forces, and it is worth noting that if the cadet experience helps just 1% of cadets every year change their life outcomes so that they are in employment, education or training, the annual cost of the Cadet Forces is covered.

Independent research shows that participation in the Cadet Forces has significant positive impacts on young people. It increases their performance at school and improves their employment and career prospects and the impact is particularly strong for those cadets that suffer economic and other disadvantages.