Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Budget Statement of 8 July 2015, Official Report, column 325, what definition he plans to use of less affluent areas when prioritising expansion of cadet merits; and what estimate he has made of the number of (a) state and (b) independent schools in those areas.

The definition of less affluent areas has not been finally decided, but it is expected that the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) will be used for England. For the Devolved Administrations it is expected that the Welsh and Scottish indices of Multiple Deprivation and the Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure will be used.

No estimate has yet been made of the number of state and independent schools in less affluent areas.