Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Accepted
Department plans digital solution for Strategic Reserve management by early 2027.
Recommendation
The Department said that the needs of the reserves would be considered in the defence investment plan it would be developing over the summer of 2025, which would confirm the sequencing of the priorities identified in the SDR. However, the Department recognised that it needed to make some investments in support of the reserves this Parliament.9 A key priority 5 Q 2; C&AG’s Report, para 4 6 C&AG’s Report, paras 1.2 and 1.3 7 Qq 2 and 4; C&AG’s Report, para 1.5; Ministry of Defence, Strategic Defence Review – Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad, 2025, Part 4.3 para 5 and Recommendation 14. 8 Qq 43 and 59 9 Qq 1, 15 and 44 9 for the Department was reinvigorating its relationship with the Strategic Reserve of ex-regular personnel who have a liability to be recalled into the armed forces. This would require the Department to establish a digital solution by early 2027 to improve reserves’ management, which the Department noted was a tight timescale to meet.10
Government Response Summary
The MOD ensures due consideration is given to the volunteer estate in its balance of investment decisions through a structured, evidence-based approach. Funding decisions are prioritised according to impact.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
5a. PAC recommendation: To establish and maintain an optimised volunteer estate the Department should: • ensure due consideration is given to the volunteer estate in its balance of investment decisions as it develops its defence investment plan which it is committed to completing in autumn 2025. 5.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: March 2026 5.2 The MOD ensures due consideration is given to the volunteer estate in its balance of investment decisions through a structured, evidence-based approach. It assesses the volunteer estate alongside the wider defence estate using criteria including operational relevance, value for money, safety and long-term sustainability. Condition surveys, usage data and risk assessments help identify where investment in the volunteer estate is most needed and will deliver greatest benefit, such as Cadet buildings and Reserve centres. 5.3 Funding decisions are prioritised according to impact, ensuring essential maintenance, statutory compliance, and improvements to training environments are considered fairly. 5.4 By taking the volunteer estate into account in its overall approach to investment decisions, the MOD aims to balance limited resources while maintaining safe, functional and fit-for-purpose facilities for volunteers, Reservists and Cadets.