Armed Forces Bill

Page 2, line 3, leave out from “section” to “Armed” in line 4 and insert “343 of AFA 2006 insert—

343A””

Page 2, line 11, after “housing;” insert—

“( ) in the operation of inquests;”

Page 2, line 22, at end insert—

“( ) An armed forces covenant report must include a statement from—

(a) the Secretary of State for Health,

(b) the Secretary of State for Education,

(c) the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government,

(d) the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and

(e) the relevant comparable ministers in the devolved assemblies,

in respect of progress in fulfilling obligations to serving military personnel and their families, and to veterans.”

Page 2, line 22, at end insert—

“( ) An armed forces covenant report must include a statement from—

(a) the relevant Secretaries of State, and

(b) the relevant devolved administrations in the United Kingdom,

about progress in fulfilling obligations to serving military personnel and their families, and to veterans.”

Page 2, line 22, at end insert—

“(3A) For the purposes of preparing an armed forces covenant report, the Secretary of State must obtain the views of any relevant government department, and seek the views of any relevant devolved administration, in relation to the effects to be covered by the report.

(3B) An armed forces covenant report must—

(a) set out in full or summarise the views of a relevant government department or relevant devolved administration obtained pursuant to subsection (3A); and

(b) where the views of a relevant devolved administration have been sought but not obtained, state that fact.

(3C) The Secretary of State may not include in an armed forces covenant report a summary under subsection (3B)(a) unless the relevant government department or relevant devolved administration has approved the summary.”

Page 2, line 40, leave out subsections (7) to (9)

Page 3, line 26, at end insert—

“343B Interpretation of Part

(1) In section 343A “service people” means—

(a) members of the regular forces and the reserve forces;

(b) members of British overseas territory forces who are subject to service law;

(c) former members of any of Her Majesty’s forces who are ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom; and

(d) relevant family members.

(2) In section 343A “relevant government department”, in relation to an effect to be covered by an armed forces covenant report, means a department of the Government of the United Kingdom (apart from the Ministry of Defence) which the Secretary of State considers has functions relevant to that effect.

(3) In section 343A “relevant devolved administration”, in relation to an effect to be covered by an armed forces covenant report, means whichever of the following the Secretary of State considers to have functions relevant to that effect—

(a) the Scottish Executive;

(b) the Northern Ireland departments;

(c) the Welsh Assembly Government.

(4) In this Part—

“British overseas territory force” means any of Her Majesty’s forces that is raised under the law of a British overseas territory;

“membership or former membership” of a force, in relation to a person, includes any service in that force that that person is undertaking, undertook or may be expected to be called on to undertake;

“relevant family members” means such descriptions of persons connected with service members, or with persons who were service members, as the Secretary of State considers should be covered by a report or part of a report;

“service member” means a person who falls within any of paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (1).

(5) Any reference in this Part to membership or former membership of the armed forces is to be read, in relation to a person who is—

(a) a service member, or

(b) a relevant family member by reason of connection with a person who is or was a service member,

as a reference to the service member’s membership or former membership of a force mentioned in subsection (1).”

Insert the following new Clause—

“Commonwealth medals

After section 339 of AFA 2006 insert—

“339A Commonwealth medals

Medals awarded by Commonwealth governments, including the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal, to present or former members of Her Majesty’s armed forces and other Crown servants may be worn without restriction.””