Written questions by Baker.

What plans the Ministry of Defence has in place to improve the standard of Single Living Accommodation for military personnel, and how these plans align with the Government's commitment to enhancing the living conditions for service members in line with current operational and welfare needs.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises that high‑quality Single Living Accommodation (SLA) is essential to the welfare, retention and operational readiness of our Armed Forces personnel. The SLA and Overseas Accommodation Review launched earlier this year is focused on identifying recommendations to enhance SLA, which will inform future investments. All Front-Line Commands have prioritised SLA condition, reinforced by proactive senior leadership engagement, and have plans to eliminate their worst accommodation. Improving the standard of SLA remains a key priority. The MOD has provided new and refurbished single rooms using a common design and modular off-site construction aiming to reduce build-times and deliver value for money. Their energy-efficient designs minimise operational energy consumption and running costs as well as enhancing the lived experience and thermal comfort.

How many child play areas there are across the defence estate; and what the annual cost is of their upkeep.

There are 618 play areas across the defence estate. It is not possible to break down the annual cost of their upkeep as their maintenance forms part of the wider Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS) contracts and it is not possible to isolate the...

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of armed forces accommodation in Aldershot constituency; and what plans he has to improve that accommodation.

There are 3,406 Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties in Aldershot, and it is assessed that 3,290 (96.6%) of these currently meet or exceed the Government wide Decent Homes standard. However, the Ministry of Defence recognises poor quality housing is an issue for Service Families and continues to champion investment to improve this. There are 4,657 Single Living Accommodation (SLA) bedspaces in Aldershot, of which 3,077 (66%) are assessed as Grade One (the highest grade) for condition. SLA within Aldershot is maintained in good condition under the Project Allenby Connaught Private Finance Initiative. SLA at Gibraltar Barracks is maintained in good condition under the Holdfast Training Services Public Private Partnership. An SLA Expert Group, including Defence Infrastructure Organisation and Top Level Budget representatives is continuing to evolve Defence Minimum Standard measures to improve the quality of SLA. There are no major works planned on SFA or SLA in the current financial year.