Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Institute of Social Innovation and Impact at the University of Northampton The impact and value of school-based cadet forces in the UK, published in March, and whether they plan to increase the number of state schools with a Combined Cadet Force.

We very much welcome the excellent research by the University of Northampton on the impact and value of school-based Cadet Forces in the UK, a study commissioned by the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

The report makes compelling reading for anyone interested in the development of young people. There are many useful insights in the report for school leaders to help support their efforts to seek wider opportunities for all their pupils – and breaking down barriers to opportunity is a core Government mission.

The report illustrates the positive impact that school-based Cadet Forces can have on the young people who join and shows how the ‘cadet experience’ can help them develop self-confidence, teamwork, leadership and resilience.

Given these and many other benefits, we want more young people to be able to become cadets. To this end we are currently reviewing how we can increase both the size and the offer of the Cadet Forces. This work is closely aligned with the Strategic Defence Review, and we have been engaging widely to consider how best to deliver these aims.

The joint MOD and Department for Education Cadet Expansion Programme has already seen a significant rise in the number of state schools with Combined Cadet Forces and we continue to invest in this growth.