Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the numbers of cadets in the combined Cadet Force since the 5 July 2024.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) publishes annual accredited official statistics on the strength of MOD-sponsored Cadet Forces. The latest statistics can be found at the following website: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mod-sponsored-cadet-forces-statistics-2025 and as at 1 April 2025, there were 50,350 cadets in the Combined Cadet Force (CCF). A specific monthly figure for July 2024 is not published.

It should be noted that during this period, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) numbers have increased. CFAVs are the life blood of the Cadet Forces, without whom the cadet experience could not be enjoyed by thousands of young people across the country.

We want more young people to be able to gain the fantastic benefits of being cadets, and we are pleased that the Strategic Defence Review has recommended a significant growth in numbers. We will be growing both in the community and in schools by 30% by 2030. The increase of CFAVs will only support this expansion and further detail will come out in due course.