Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill
24 March 2026
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Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill House of Commons
00:01 - 00:18
Speaker 1
We now come to group five, and and the question is that clause two stand part with which it will be convenient to debate new clause two and six. The question is does clause two stand part of the bill? Minister.
00:22 - 02:18
Speaker 2
It's an honor to serve again under your chairmanship. And thank you to everyone for the progressive and balanced debate as we move forward over the last couple of clauses. Now I'm delighted to introduce clause two on the Armed Forces Covenant legal duty extension, which delivers our manifesto commitment to strengthen support to our armed forces. Clause two amends part 16 a of the Armed Forces Act 2006 by inserting two new sections which will extend the statutory duty to have due regard to the principles of the armed forces covenant by applying the duty to the public bodies across The UK and to additional policy areas, as I shall explain. The new section, three four three alpha Zulu alpha, introduces the principles of the armed forces covenant.
Bodies subject to the duty must have due regard to the unique obligations and sacrifice is made by members of our armed forces. The principles that is desire desirable to remove disadvantage faced by service people as a result of their current or former service. And the principle that in some cases special provisions may be justified for the armed forces community due to the impact of their service. The new section three four three alpha zoo alpha imposes the duty on national authorities, local authorities, education bodies, and health bodies across The United Kingdom. Now for the first time in recognition of the breadth of the covenant, the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and UK government departments will be subject to this duty.
The duty applies when these bodies exercise public functions in relation to the following matters, childcare, education and training, employment, health and social care, housing, social security benefits, personal taxation, criminal justice, transport, pensions, immigration, citizenship, armed forces compensation. I will I will now, turn to amendment no. I will not. I think I could do this. Right.
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