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Committee of the whole House Proceedings: 22nd May 2006      

611

 

Armed Forces (Re-Committed) Bill, continued

 
 

“(9A)    

In this Article—

 

(a)    

references in paragraphs (1) and (2) to section 208 of the

 

Armed Forces Act 2006 include references to section 71A(4)

 

of the Army Act 1955 or Air Force Act 1955 or section 43A(4)

 

of the Naval Discipline Act 1957;

 

(b)    

the reference in paragraph (1) to section 217 of the Armed

 

Forces Act 2006 includes a reference to section 71A(3) of the

 

Army Act 1955 or Air Force Act 1955 or section 43A(3) of the

 

Naval Discipline Act 1957.”

 

63D      

In the Schedule to that Order (service disciplinary convictions referred to in

 

Article 7(6)(bb)), after paragraph 6 add—

 

“Provisions of the Armed Forces Act 2006

 

7          

Any service offence within the meaning of the Armed Forces Act

 

2006 except one punishable in the case of an offender aged 18 or

 

over with imprisonment for more than two years.”’.

 

Schedule, as amended, Agreed to.

 


 

Mr Tom Watson

 

Agreed to  4

 

Schedule  17,  page  306,  line  40,  at end insert—

 

‘Rehabilitation of Offenders

Article 4(5).

 
 

(Northern Ireland) Order 1978

  
 

(S.I. 1978/1908 (N.I. 27))

  
  

In Article 6, in paragraph (1), the word “and” at

 
  

the end of sub-paragraph (c), and in sub-

 
  

paragraph (d) the words “or a corresponding

 
  

court-martial punishment”, and paragraph

 
  

(9)(a).’.

 
 

Schedule, as amended, Agreed to.

 

Clauses 372 to 378 Agreed to.

 


 

New Clauses

 

Pardon for Soldiers of the Great War: eligibility for pardon

 

Andrew Mackinlay

 

Not called  nc1

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

Any person (an “eligible person”) who in the Great War of 1914 to 1919—

 

(a)    

served in the British Empire Forces,


 
 

Committee of the whole House Proceedings: 22nd May 2006      

612

 

Armed Forces (Re-Committed) Bill, continued

 
 

(b)    

was convicted by a court martial of one or more of the offences set out in

 

subsection (2) below or any of these offences together with any other

 

offences, and

 

(c)    

was judicially executed following such conviction

 

    

shall be eligible for a pardon in accordance with the provisions of this Part in

 

respect of any offence referred to in subsection (2) below.

 

(2)    

The offences referred to in subsection (1) above are cowardice, desertion,

 

attempted desertion, disobedience, quitting post, violence, sleeping at post,

 

throwing away arms and striking a superior officer.’.

 


 

Pardon for Soldiers of the Great War: procedure for pardon

 

Andrew Mackinlay

 

Not called  nc2

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

An eligible person under section [Pardon for Soldiers of the Great War:

 

eligibility for pardon] shall be pardoned of any offence referred to in subsection

 

(2) of that section if the Secretary of State makes an order to that effect in

 

accordance with the provisions of this section.

 

(2)    

An order under subsection (1) above may be made in accordance with the

 

provisions of subsection (3) below.

 

(3)    

The Secretary of State shall, within three months of this Act coming into force—

 

(a)    

make an order under subsection (1) above, or

 

(b)    

publish a statement setting out his reasons for not making an order under

 

subsection (1),

 

    

in respect of every eligible person.’.

 


 

Pardon for Soldiers of the Great War: effect of pardon

 

Andrew Mackinlay

 

Not called  nc3

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘A pardon under section [Pardon for Soldiers of the Great War: procedure for

 

pardon] above shall—

 

(a)    

unless this section otherwise requires, have similar effect to a pardon

 

granted in exercise of the Royal Prerogative,

 

(b)    

be deemed to remove or, as the case may be, nullify any degradations and

 

penalties imposed in connection with the relevant offences, and

 

(c)    

not have any effect on any existing financial rights or obligations of any

 

dependant or of the Secretary of State.’.

 



 
 

Committee of the whole House Proceedings: 22nd May 2006      

613

 

Armed Forces (Re-Committed) Bill, continued

 
 

Military Complaints Commissioner

 

Mrs Joan Humble

 

Not called  nc4

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

There shall be a Military Complaints Commissioner (in this section referred to as

 

“the Commissioner”).

 

(2)    

The Commissioner shall exercise his powers under this Act in such manner and

 

to such extent as appears to him to be best calculated to secure—

5

(a)    

the efficiency, effectiveness and independence of the military complaints

 

system; and

 

(b)    

the confidence of the public and of members of the Armed Forces in that

 

system.

 

(3)    

Any member of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces or member of the public shall be

10

entitled to make a complaint to the Commissioner.

 

(4)    

The Commissioner shall investigate—

 

(a)    

all non-combat Service deaths or serious injuries,

 

(b)    

all serious complaints, and

 

(c)    

any complaint made to him that he determines requires investigation.

15

(5)    

If the complaint is a serious complaint, the Commissiner shall formally

 

investigate it in accordance with subsection (7).

 

(6)    

In the case of any other complaint, the Commissioner may as he thinks fit—

 

(a)    

formally investigate the complaint in accordance with subsection (7); or

 

(b)    

refer the complaint to the appropriate Commanding Officers or Higher

20

Authority; or

 

(c)    

dismiss the complaint.

 

(7)    

Where the Commissioner conducts a formal investigation he shall—

 

(a)    

inform the Secretary of State,

 

(b)    

be given access to all documents and persons as he sees fit, and

25

(c)    

make a report in accordance to the appropriate Commanding Officers or

 

Higher Authority.

 

(8)    

Where a Commanding Officer or Higher Authority receives a report from the

 

Commissioner under subsection (7) he must act on the information in that report.

 

(9)    

As soon as possible after the end of each financial year the Commissioner must

30

make a report to the Secretary of State on—

 

(a)    

the way in which he has discharged his functions during the year;

 

(b)    

what he has found in the course of exercising that function during the

 

year; and

 

(c)    

the matters he intends to consider or research during the next financial

35

year.

 

(10)    

The Secretary of State must lay a copy of any report under subsection (8) before

 

each House of Parliament.

 

(11)    

In this section, “serious complaint” means a complaint—

 

(a)    

alleging that the conduct complained of resulted in the death of, or

40

serious injury to, some person;

 

(b)    

of bullying; or

 

(c)    

of such other description as may be prescribed.

 

(12)    

In this section—

 

“serious injury” means a fracture, damage to an internal organ or impairment of

45

physical or mental bodily function;


 
 

Committee of the whole House Proceedings: 22nd May 2006      

614

 

Armed Forces (Re-Committed) Bill, continued

 
 

“bullying” means actions that cause undue distress, whether intentional or

 

unintentional;

 

“appropriate Commanding Officers” means—

 

(a)    

the Commanding Officer of the person making the complaint when the

50

Commissioner makes his report or referral,

 

(b)    

the Commanding Officer of any person referred to in the complaint when

 

the Commissioner makes his report or referral,

 

(c)    

the Commanding Officer of the person making the complaint when the

 

incident or incidents referred to in the complaint occurred, and

55

(d)    

the Commanding Officer of any person referred to in the compaint when

 

the incident or incidents referred to in the complaint occurred;

 

    

“Commanding Officer” has the meaning given in section 364;

 

“Higher Authority” has the meaning given in section 364.

 

(13)    

The Commissioner shall be appointed by Her Majesty.

60

(14)    

The person appointed as Commissioner shall not be a serving member of the

 

regular or reserve armed forces.

 

(15)    

The Commissioner may employ such persons as he thinks fit to enable him to

 

carry out his functions.’.

 

As Amendments to Mrs Joan Humble’s proposed New Clause (Military Complaints

 

Commissioner) (NC4):—

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (a)

 

Line  1,  leave out ‘Commissioner’ and insert ‘Commission’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (b)

 

Line  2,  leave out ‘“the Commissioner”)’ and insert ‘“the Commission”) directed

 

by the Military Compaints Commissioner (in this section referred to as “the

 

Commissioner”)’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (bb)

 

Line  3,  leave out ‘Commissioner’ and insert ‘Commission’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (dd)

 

Line  3,  leave out ‘his’ and insert ‘its’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (cc)

 

Line  4,  leave out ‘him’ and insert ‘it’.


 
 

Committee of the whole House Proceedings: 22nd May 2006      

615

 

Armed Forces (Re-Committed) Bill, continued

 
 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (c)

 

Line  5,  after first ‘the’, insert ‘fairness,’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (d)

 

Line  8,  at end insert ‘; and

 

(c)    

a reduction in the incidence of bullying, harassment, discrimination or

 

other unfair treatment in the Armed Forces.’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (e)

 

Line  9,  after ‘Forces’, insert ‘or a member of his family’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (f)

 

Line  11,  leave out ‘Commissioner’ and insert ‘Commission’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (g)

 

Line  14,  at end insert ‘and

 

(d)    

issues relating to bullying, harassment, discrimination or other unfair

 

treatment as it sees fit.’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (h)

 

Line  15,  leave out ‘Commissioner’ and insert ‘Commission’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (i)

 

Line  17,  leave out ‘Commissioner may as he’ and insert ‘Commission may as it’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (j)

 

Line  21,  leave out ‘dismiss’ and insert ‘decide not to investigate’.


 
 

Committee of the whole House Proceedings: 22nd May 2006      

616

 

Armed Forces (Re-Committed) Bill, continued

 
 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (k)

 

Line  22,  leave out ‘Commissioner conducts a formal investigation he’ and insert

 

‘Commission conducts a formal investigation it’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (l)

 

Line  24,  leave out ‘he’ and insert ‘it’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (m)

 

Line  25,  leave out ‘in accordance’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (n)

 

Line  26,  at end insert ‘or any other members of the Armed Forces as the

 

Commission sees fit’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (o)

 

Line  28,  leave out ‘Commissioner’ and insert ‘Commission’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (p)

 

Line  31,  leave out ‘he has discharged his’ and insert ‘the Commission has

 

discharged its’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (q)

 

Line  32,  leave out paragraph (b) and insert—

 

‘(b)    

the work of the Commission, its findings and recommendations; and’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (r)

 

Line  34,  leave out first ‘the’.


 
 

Committee of the whole House Proceedings: 22nd May 2006      

617

 

Armed Forces (Re-Committed) Bill, continued

 
 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (s)

 

Line  34,  leave out ‘he’ and insert ‘the Commission’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (t)

 

Line  35,  at end insert —

 

‘(9A)    

The Commission may, from time to time, make such other reports to the Secretary

 

of State as it considers appropriate for drawing his attention to matters which—

 

(a)    

have come to the Commission’s notice; and

 

(b)    

are matters that it considers should be drawn to his attention by reason of

 

their gravity or of other exceptional circumstances.’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (u)

 

Line  36,  leave out ‘(8)’ and insert ‘(9A)’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (v)

 

Line  41,  after ‘bullying’, insert ‘, harassment or discrimination’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (w)

 

Line  47,  at end insert ‘“harassment” means unwanted conduct which has the

 

purpose or effect of—

 

(a)    

violating another person’s dignity, or

 

(b)    

creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive

 

environment for another individual.

 

    

“discrimination” means to treat a person less favourably on the grounds of race,

 

colour, sex, language, religion or other status.’.

 

Nick Harvey

 

Bob Russell

 

Willie Rennie

 

Not called  (x)

 

Line  59,  at end insert—

 

‘(13A)    

The Commission shall consist of—

 

(a)    

the Commissioner; and

 

(b)    

not less than ten other members appointed by the Secretary of State.’.


 
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