Monday 16th
June, 3.30pm, Grimond Room, Portcullis House
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will examine the challenges
faced by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in governing the body
responsible for supporting the UK's reserve and cadet forces
on Monday 16th June at 3.30pm.
In April 2024, there were around 140,000 cadets spread across
3,500 units in the UK. This number is set to grow as the UK
government announced a target of a 30% increase by 2030, in the
recently published strategic defence review. A 20% increase in
the reserve force numbers over the same period was also outlined,
with this figure sitting just below 32,000 at the start of 2025.
In 2019, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) carried out a review of
the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations (RFCAs). This
highlighted some areas for concern, including the accountability
and governance of the RFCAs, which support and provide
infrastructure for the reserve forces and cadet forces of the
army, the air force and the navy.
The RFCAs receive around £150m in funding annually from the MoD
which is distributed by the Council of the RFCA's. However, this
framework was deemed not compliant with Treasury rules in 2022,
and despite the MoD taking steps to rectify issues, a new
framework has yet to be finalised.
The Committee will hear from representatives of both the MoD and
the RFCAs as they examine governance, legal and financial risks
of current systems and structures. Questions may also examine how
changes to the current ways of working could retain the benefits
of the RFCAs' local identities and connections while ensuring
that they provide cost-effective, high-quality infrastructure and
support services; and whether safeguarding processes and
appropriate training and checks are in place.
Witnesses
From 3.30pm:
-
, Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Defence
-
Aneen Blackmore, Director General Finance,
Ministry of Defence
-
Major General Marc Overton CB TD VR, Assistant
Chief of the Defence Staff (Reserves and Cadets), Ministry of
Defence
-
Major General (Retd) Jamie Gordon CB CBE,
Chief Executive, Council for the Reserve Forces' and Cadets'
Associations
