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Reserve Forces: Recruitment

Asked by Steve BarclayConservativeMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 8 September 2026UIN 16875

The question

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.

Answered by Ministry of Defence

The Defence Investment Plan has set out how we will be investing over £76 billion on people and veterans over the next four years. The £4.2 billion of funding for the Reserves represents the cost of Reserves pay and allowances.

The MOD does not routinely publish detailed breakdowns of spending for reasons of national security. In addition, individual annual settlements will be subject to planning cycles across the services.

This Government is committed to modernising the Reserve component. The Defence Investment Plan reaffirms the importance of the Reserve Forces to Defence’s future outputs. Work is underway to develop future Reserve structures, improve recruitment and retention, and ensure Reservists are aligned to the demands of modern warfighting and homeland resilience.

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