To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his proposed timetable is for increasing funding for the total number of Active Reserves by 20%.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his proposed timetable is for increasing funding for the total number of Active Reserves by 20%.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of caretaker staffing levels to maintain reservist estate buildings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of caretaker staffing levels to maintain reservist estate buildings.

During Commons stages, 82 government amendments were made to the Armed Forces Bill 2026-27. The bill is now before the House of Lords.

During Commons stages, 82 government amendments were made to the Armed Forces Bill 2026-27. The bill is now before the House of Lords.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what additional equipment will be available to members of the UK Active Reserve as a result of the Defence Investment Plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what additional equipment will be available to members of the UK Active Reserve as a result of the Defence Investment Plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate has been made of the number of additional members of the UK Active Reserve across each service that will be recruited as a result of the Defence Investment Plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate has been made of the number of additional members of the UK Active Reserve across each service that will be recruited as a result of the Defence Investment Plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 93 of his Department's Strategic Defence Review, published 2 June 2025, what progress he has made on establishing a digitised approach to Reserves management.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 93 of his Department's Strategic Defence Review, published 2 June 2025, what progress he has made on establishing a digitised approach to Reserves management.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, what progress he has made in establishing a digitised approach to Reserves management by January 2027, as outlined in Recommendation 28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, what progress he has made in establishing a digitised approach to Reserves management by January 2027, as outlined in Recommendation 28.

Moved by

Lord Coaker

38: After Clause 36, insert the following new Clause—

“Service of notices by email

(1) RFA 1996 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 32 (call out of persons who have entered into special arrangements)—

(a) after subsection (6) insert—

“(6A) A notice under this section may also be served on a person...

Moved by

Lord Coaker

38: After Clause 36, insert the following new Clause—

“Service of notices by email

(1) RFA 1996 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 32 (call out of persons who have entered into special arrangements)—

(a) after subsection (6) insert—

“(6A) A notice under this section may also be served on a person...

My Lords, government Amendments 38 and 39 in my name are needed to make improvements to the Bill.

Amendment 38 makes a simple but important modernising change. It will allow formal call-out and recall notices for reservists to be sent electronically, in addition to the existing postal route, ensuring that our...

My Lords, government Amendments 38 and 39 in my name are needed to make improvements to the Bill.

Amendment 38 makes a simple but important modernising change. It will allow formal call-out and recall notices for reservists to be sent electronically, in addition to the existing postal route, ensuring that our...

My Lords, briefly, this is a very sensible amendment and I support it. In the world in which we now live, and with the way in which we communicate with one another, are there people in our Armed Forces already thinking ahead to different, more urgent ways of being in...

My Lords, briefly, this is a very sensible amendment and I support it. In the world in which we now live, and with the way in which we communicate with one another, are there people in our Armed Forces already thinking ahead to different, more urgent ways of being in...

My Lords, I agree with the noble Viscount, Lord Stansgate, that these government amendments are limited and make perfect sense. Sending notices by email makes sense. I would be concerned about formal communications being sent necessarily by forms of social media, but, equally, it would be sensible for His Majesty’s...

My Lords, I agree with the noble Viscount, Lord Stansgate, that these government amendments are limited and make perfect sense. Sending notices by email makes sense. I would be concerned about formal communications being sent necessarily by forms of social media, but, equally, it would be sensible for His Majesty’s...

My Lords, I do not have too much to say on this group of two government amendments, so I will keep it brief.

I understand entirely why the Government wish to allow call-out notices to be sent by email. The Minister has given us an excellent explanation of their rationale, and...

My Lords, I do not have too much to say on this group of two government amendments, so I will keep it brief.

I understand entirely why the Government wish to allow call-out notices to be sent by email. The Minister has given us an excellent explanation of their rationale, and...

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl, Lord Minto, the noble Baroness, Lady Smith, and the noble Viscount, Lord Stansgate, for their questions about this simple change. Of course, as with everything as we go through this Bill, I will look into all the various points that have been made.

My...

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl, Lord Minto, the noble Baroness, Lady Smith, and the noble Viscount, Lord Stansgate, for their questions about this simple change. Of course, as with everything as we go through this Bill, I will look into all the various points that have been made.

My...

Can I just confirm that we are talking about something in addition to, rather than instead of?

Can I just confirm that we are talking about something in addition to, rather than instead of?

It is whichever is the most appropriate to use.

It is whichever is the most appropriate to use.

Moved by

Lord Coaker

39: Schedule 5, page 129, line 28, leave out “fourth” and insert “third”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment makes a drafting correction.

Moved by

Lord Coaker

39: Schedule 5, page 129, line 28, leave out “fourth” and insert “third”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment makes a drafting correction.

My Lords, I rise to oppose the question that Clause 38 and Schedule 6 stand part of the Bill. These provisions would abolish the 13 reserve forces and cadets associations and the Council of Reserve Forces and Cadets Associations and replace them with a single, new, national, non-departmental public body.

I...

My Lords, I rise to oppose the question that Clause 38 and Schedule 6 stand part of the Bill. These provisions would abolish the 13 reserve forces and cadets associations and the Council of Reserve Forces and Cadets Associations and replace them with a single, new, national, non-departmental public body.

I...

My Lords, I strongly support the purpose of opposing Clause 38 standing part. The PAC’s 43rd report of 2024-25 heavily criticised the MoD for inadequacies in its financial oversight of the RFCAs. The report said:

“The Department’s arrangements for monitoring and reporting on the RFCAs’ financial performance are inadequate”

and they

“fall below...

My Lords, I strongly support the purpose of opposing Clause 38 standing part. The PAC’s 43rd report of 2024-25 heavily criticised the MoD for inadequacies in its financial oversight of the RFCAs. The report said:

“The Department’s arrangements for monitoring and reporting on the RFCAs’ financial performance are inadequate”

and they

“fall below...

My Lords, it is an honour to follow the noble and gallant Lord. I rise to support my noble friends and speak in opposition to Clause 38 standing part of the Bill.

I am always keen to champion improvements in governance. In the case of the Reserve Forces and cadets’ associations,...

My Lords, it is an honour to follow the noble and gallant Lord. I rise to support my noble friends and speak in opposition to Clause 38 standing part of the Bill.

I am always keen to champion improvements in governance. In the case of the Reserve Forces and cadets’ associations,...

My Lords, let me start by saying that I agree with everything that has been said so far. I have put my name to some amendments in subsequent groupings that seek to ameliorate some of the worst aspects of Schedule 6, where I think the Government have got it badly...

My Lords, let me start by saying that I agree with everything that has been said so far. I have put my name to some amendments in subsequent groupings that seek to ameliorate some of the worst aspects of Schedule 6, where I think the Government have got it badly...