VE Day and VJ Day: Commemorations for the 80th anniversaries
2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, with a series of commemorative events planned.

Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) became a bespoke trading entity on 1 April 2014. This note explores what why the Government’s preferred GOCO option failed and a trading entity means.
Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) (529 KB , PDF)
Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) is responsible for equipping and supporting the UK’s Armed Forces. The Government turned DE&S into a bespoke trading entity on 1 April 2014. This means it is now an arm’s length body of the Ministry of Defence.
Transforming DE&S is one of the major reforms currently underway within the Ministry of Defence in a bid to resolve the significant problems in the defence procurement system.
This note examines the new trading entity status of DE&S. A Framework Document and a Corporate Plan were published in mid-May on the eve of prorogation. It also tracks the development of the original Government-owned, Contractor-Operated proposal though to its abandonment at the end of 2013.
Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) (529 KB , PDF)
2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, with a series of commemorative events planned.
An overview of the military assistance provided to Ukraine between February 2022 and January 2025
A general debate on the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan is scheduled for Monday 21 July 2025 in the main chamber.