Session 2010 - 11
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1657

 

House of Commons

 
 

Notices of Amendments

 

given on

 

Thursday 17 March 2011

 

For other Amendment(s) see the following page(s) of Supplement to Votes:

 

1585

 

Committee of the whole House


 

Armed Forces Bill

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

2

 

Clause  2,  page  2,  line  5,  leave out ‘Secretary of State’ and insert ‘Minister for

 

Former Armed Services Personnel’.

 

Minister for Former Armed Services Personnel

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

NC2

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘After section 359A of Armed Forces Act 2006, insert—

 

“359B

Minister for Former Armed Services Personnel

 

(1)    

A Minister shall be appointed within the Cabinet Office who shall be

 

known as the Minister for Former Armed Services Personnel.

 

(2)    

The roles and responsibility of the Minister shall be set out by the

 

Secretary of State for the Cabinet Office by order and shall include—

 

(a)    

Laying the Annual Armed Forces Covenant Report, in

 

conjunction with the Secretary of State for Defence.

 

(b)    

Conducting such activities as shall be seen to be positive for the

 

well-being of former armed services personnel.

 

(c)    

Conducting detailed and independently verifiable research to

 

establish a baseline on which future progress can be measured.

 

(3)    

The Minister for Former Armed Services Personnel shall be appointed

 

within three months of Royal Assent to the Armed Forces Act 2011.”.’.


 
 

Notices of Amendments: 17 March 2011                  

1658

 

Armed Forces Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

3

 

Clause  2,  page  2,  line  10,  leave out from second ‘people’ to end of line 11 and

 

insert ‘including—

 

(a)    

the operation of section 359C (Former Armed Services Personnel Rights

 

Charter),

 

(aa)    

the operation of section 359D (Former Armed Services Personnel

 

Support Officers),

 

(ab)    

the operation of section 359E (Financial Support for Former Armed

 

Services Personnel Welfare Groups),

 

(ac)    

the operation of section 359F (Former Armed Services Personnel Policy

 

Forum),

 

(ad)    

the effect of the following issues upon service people—

 

(i)    

welfare benefits;

 

(ii)    

housing;

 

(iii)    

healthcare;

 

(iv)    

education, including educational course and training;

 

(v)    

employment advice;

 

(vi)    

budgetary and life skills;

 

(vii)    

debt management;

 

(viii)    

alcohol and drug treatment;

 

(ix)    

relationship skills/domestic violence courses for perpetrators and

 

victims; and’.

 

Former Armed Services Personnel Rights Charter

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

NC3

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘After section 359B of Armed Forces Act 2006, insert—

 

“359C

Former Armed Services Personnel Rights Charter

 

(1)    

A Former Armed Services Personnel Rights Charter shall be published,

 

indicating the rights to assistance that former armed services personnel

 

shall expect.

 

(2)    

The Former Armed Services Personnel Rights Charter shall be made by

 

a Minister of the Crown by order made by statutory instrument and

 

include—

 

(a)    

the requirement to undergo a psychological assessment

 

immediately prior to leaving the armed forces,

 

(b)    

the requirement of a resettlement assessment, conducted

 

approximately six months prior to the expected date of

 

discharge,

 

(c)    

the requirement of access to advice from relevant voluntary

 

organisations, approximately three to four months prior to the

 

expected date of discharge, regarding the following possible

 

needs—

 

(i)    

welfare;

 

(ii)    

housing;

 

(iii)    

educational course and training;


 
 

Notices of Amendments: 17 March 2011                  

1659

 

Armed Forces Bill, continued

 
 

(iv)    

employment advice;

 

(v)    

budgetary and life skills;

 

(vi)    

debt management;

 

(vii)    

alcohol and drug treatment; and

 

(viii)    

relationship skills/domestic violence courses.

 

(d)    

the requirement of back up support and advice, provided in

 

person, by telephone and other reasonable means, to all former

 

armed services personnel at any point within the first six months

 

following discharge,

 

(e)    

the requirement of tailored support for former armed services

 

personnel in the criminal justice system,

 

(f)    

any other relevant assistance considered necessary by the

 

Minister in pursuit of the improvements in former armed

 

services personnel welfare.

 

(3)    

The Former Armed Services Personnel Rights Charter shall be published

 

following consultation with relevant stakeholders.

 

(4)    

“Relevant Stakeholders” includes members of veterans’support

 

agencies.

 

(5)    

The Former Armed Services Personnel Rights Charter shall be

 

introduced within one year of Royal Assent to the Armed Forces Act

 

2011.

 

(6)    

The operation of the Former Armed Services Personnel Rights Charter

 

shall be reported upon in the Armed Forces Covenant Report.”.’.

 

Former armed services personnel support officers

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

NC4

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘After section 359C of Armed Forces Act 2006, insert—

 

“359D

Former Armed Services Personnel Support Officers

 

(1)    

A former armed services personnel support officer post shall be

 

appointed in each prison and probation service in England and Wales.

 

(2)    

The role of the former armed services personnel support officer shall be

 

to ensure continuation of support in the criminal justice system.

 

(3)    

Former armed services personnel support officers shall be appointed

 

within one year of Royal Assent to the Armed Forces Act 2011.

 

(4)    

The operation of the former armed services personnel support officers

 

shall be reported upon in the Armed Forces Covenant Report.”.’.


 
 

Notices of Amendments: 17 March 2011                  

1660

 

Armed Forces Bill, continued

 
 

Financial support for former armed services personnel welfare groups

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

NC5

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘After section 359D of Armed Forces Act 2006, insert—

 

“359E

Financial Support for Former Armed Services Personnel Welfare

 

Groups

 

(1)    

Financial support shall be provided for former armed services personnel

 

welfare groups in each financial year to provided assistance to former

 

armed services personnel.

 

(2)    

Former armed services personnel welfare groups eligible for such

 

financial support shall be those approved by the Minister.

 

(3)    

The criterion for such eligibility shall be published by the Minister

 

following an independent scoping study into the needs of former armed

 

services personnel and the services currently available which will

 

provide a baseline for future progress.

 

(4)    

The independent scoping study shall be published not later than one year

 

after the Royal Assent of the Armed Forces Act 2011.

 

(5)    

The operation of the Financial Support for Armed Services Personnel

 

Welfare Groups shall be reported upon in the Armed Forces Covenant

 

Report.”.’.

 

Former Armed Services Personnel Policy Forum

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

NC6

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘After section 359E of Armed Forces Act 2006, insert—

 

“359F

Former Armed Services Personnel Policy Forum

 

(1)    

A Former Armed Services Personnel Policy Forum shall be created to

 

ensure best practice in the treatment and discussion of veterans’ welfare

 

issues.

 

(2)    

The Former Armed Services Personnel Policy Forum shall have

 

membership comprising representatives of the statutory, private and

 

voluntary sector.

 

(3)    

The chair and members of the Former Armed Services Personnel Policy

 

forum shall be appointed by the Secretary of State following consultation

 

with relevant stakeholders and shall include a government representative.

 

(4)    

The criterion for membership and responsibilities of the veterans’ policy

 

forum shall be determined by the Secretary of State following

 

consultation with relevant stakeholders.

 

(5)    

“Relevant stakeholders” shall include Ministers in devolved legislatures

 

and veterans’ support agencies.


 
 

Notices of Amendments: 17 March 2011                  

1661

 

Armed Forces Bill, continued

 
 

(6)    

The Former Armed Services Personnel Policy Forum shall report from

 

time to time to the relevant authority.

 

(7)    

“Relevant authority” means Ministers reponsible for the implementation

 

of policies relating to veterans’ welfare, including Ministers in devolved

 

administrations.

 

(8)    

The Former Armed Services Personnel Rights’ Policy Forum shall be

 

introduced within one year of Royal Assent to the Armed Forces Act

 

2011.

 

(9)    

The operation of the Former Armed Services Personnel Policy Forum

 

shall be reported upon in the Armed Forces Covenant Report.”.’.

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

4

 

Clause  2,  page  2,  line  12,  at end insert—

 

‘(2A)    

The report shall include expert recommendations on improving the welfare of

 

former armed services personnel.

 

(2B)    

Expert recommendations shall include a timeframe in which these

 

recommendations should be implemented.

 

(2C)    

If the Secretary of State will not implement any of the expert recommendations

 

as directed then he shall lay a report before Parliament explaining why they have

 

not been implemented, within 40 days of the laying of the Armed Forces

 

Covenant Report.’.

 


 
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Revised 18 March 2011