Armed Forces Bill 2024-26

NC1

To move the following Clause— “Visiting forces: ICC arrest warrants and war crimes (1) The Secretary of State must not issue an authorisation permitting members of a visiting force to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for the purposes of the Visiting Forces Act 1952 where— (a) the sending country is subject to a binding ICC arrest warrant or a decision of the Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court specifying individual commanders or units of its armed forces, or (b) the Secretary of State has reasonable grounds to believe that members of the visiting force have participated in, ordered, or failed to prevent conduct that constitutes a war crime within the meaning of Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. (2) Where a visiting force is already present in the United Kingdom and subsection (1)(a) or (1)(b) is subsequently satisfied, the Secretary of State must— (a) within 14 days, notify Parliament by way of a written ministerial statement, and (b) within 28 days, revoke any subsisting authorisation for the continuation of that visiting force in the United Kingdom, unless the Secretary of State lays before Parliament a statement of exceptional circumstances justifying continuation.

NC2

To move the following Clause— "Dual nationals serving in foreign armed forces: war crimes risk (1) This section applies to a person ('the individual') who is— (a) a British national or a person ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, and (b) a member of the armed forces of a foreign state. (2) Where the Secretary of State has reasonable grounds to believe that the individual has participated in, ordered, or failed to prevent conduct that constitutes a war crime within the meaning of Article 8 of the Rome Statute, the Secretary of State may— (a) refer the matter to the Attorney General for consideration of proceedings under the International Criminal Court Act 2001, (b) direct that the individual's British travel document be suspended pending investigation, subject to section 41C, and (c) notify the International Criminal Court of the individual's British nationality and last known address in the United Kingdom. (3) A suspension of a travel document under section 41B(2)(b) must not exceed 90 days without renewal. (4) The individual to whom section 41B applies must be— (a) informed as soon as reasonably practicable of the grounds for any action taken under section 41B(2), and (b) afforded a right of appeal to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission. (5) The Secretary of State must issue statutory guidance to the armed forces, relevant intelligence agencies, and border authorities on— (a) identification of British nationals serving in foreign armed forces, (b) information-sharing arrangements with the International Criminal Court and relevant foreign jurisdictions, and (c) the circumstances in which action under subsection (2) is appropriate. (6) For the purposes of this section— "British national” has the meaning given by section 50(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981; "Rome Statute" means the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, opened for signature 17 July 1998 (2187 UNTS 90). (7) Nothing in section 41B or this section limits the protections afforded to an individual under the Human Rights Act 1998."

NC3

To move the following Clause— "Veterans: housing and employment data duty (1) The Secretary of State must, in each calendar year, collect and compile data on the following matters in respect of persons who have served as members of the regular forces ('veterans')— (a) the number of veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness within the meaning of Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 and Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014; (b) the number of veterans who are unemployed and claiming Universal Credit or Jobseeker's Allowance, disaggregated by— (i) length of unemployment; (ii) age and gender; and (iii) service branch and rank on discharge; (c) the number of veterans in contact with local authority housing or homelessness services; (d) the number of veterans placed in temporary accommodation by a local authority; (e) the number of veterans who have presented themselves as having suicidal ideation and those who have committed suicide; (f) trends in the matters mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (e) over the preceding five years. (2) For the purposes of collecting data under subsection (1), the Secretary of State— (a) must request and receive data from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, local authorities, and such other persons or bodies as the Secretary of State considers appropriate, (b) may require local authorities in England to provide data as to veterans within their area who have approached them for housing assistance, and (c) must consult Veterans UK and any other bodies the Secretary of State considers appropriate in designing the data collection methodology. (3) The Secretary of State must, not later than 31 March in each year, lay before Parliament a report setting out— (a) the data compiled under subsection (1) for the preceding calendar year; (b) a comparison with data from the two preceding calendar years; (c) the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Secretary of State, or by public authorities subject to the duty in section 343AZA of the Armed Forces Act 2006 (as amended by section 2 of this Act), to reduce rates of homelessness and unemployment among veterans; and (d) an assessment of whether those steps have been effective. (4) The report under subsection (3) must include, in respect of veterans who have left the regular forces within the preceding three years— (a) the proportion who entered employment within three months of discharge; (b) the proportion who were provided resettlement support under a scheme administered by the Ministry of Defence; and (c) the proportion who were provided with suitable accommodation within one month of discharge. (5) The Secretary of State must make arrangements for a person independent of the Ministry of Defence to review, and report to Parliament on, the methodology and reliability of data collected under this section at least once every three years. (6) In this section— "homeless or at risk of homelessness" is to be construed in accordance with sections 175 to 177 of the Housing Act 1996; "regular forces” has the same meaning as in the Armed Forces Act 2006 (see section 374 of that Act); "veteran” means a person who has served as a member of the regular forces for a period of not less than one day and who is no longer serving as such a member."

1

Clause 2, page 4, line 15, at end insert “and to the district and borough councils of Northern Ireland."

88

Clause 2, page 6, line 37, at end insert— "343AZC Communication regarding armed forces pensions (1) The Secretary of State must undertake an assessment of the effectiveness of communication with former service personnel about their armed forces pension. (2) An assessment under subsection (1) is not limited to but must include- (a) a review of the number of armed forces pensions which have been unclaimed, (b) the impact of the current armed forces pensions system on former service personnel, and (c) an assessment of the effectiveness of introducing an annual letter distribution service to inform former personnel of their pension entitlements. (3) For the purposes of this section, “former service personnel” means a person who has completed their services in the armed forces. (4) Within six months of the passage of the Armed Forces Act 2026, the Secretary of State must lay a copy of the assessment under subsection (1) before each House of Parliament."

89

Clause 2, page 6, line 37, at end insert— "343AZC Transfer of medical assessments (1) The Secretary of State must review current practice for the transfer of medical records and services for armed forces personnel upon their transfer to the reserve forces. (2) A review under subsection (1) is not limited to but must include an assessment of- (a) the time and costs associated with current practice, (b) the costs and benefits of introducing a case-by-case approach for determining whether a reassessment of armed forces personnel's medical records and services is required upon their transfer to the reserve forces. (3) Within one year of the passage of the Armed Forces Act 2026, the Secretary of State must lay a copy of the assessment under subsection (1) before each House of Parliament."

90

Clause 12, page 29, line 6, at end insert- "115C Duty to refer sexual offences and domestic abuse to civilian police (1) This section applies where a service police force or the tri-service serious crime unit is made aware of an allegation that a person subject to service law, or a civilian subject to service discipline, has committed a relevant offence in the United Kingdom. (2) The Provost Marshal of the relevant service police force, or the Provost Marshal for serious crime, must immediately refer the allegation and transfer the investigation to the relevant civilian police force. (3) In this section— "relevant civilian police force” means the civilian police force for the area in which the alleged offence took place; "relevant offence" means- (a) any offence under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, (b) an offence involving domestic abuse within the meaning of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, or (c) an offence of attempting or conspiring to commit an offence within sub-paragraph (a) or (b). (4) The Secretary of State may by regulations specify further offences which are to be treated as a relevant offence for the purposes of this section."

NC6

To move the following Clause- "Overseas operations and the European Convention on Human Rights After section 14 of the Human Rights Act 1998 insert "14A Duty to consider derogation in relation to overseas operations (1) Where the Secretary of State considers that any overseas operation is, or is likely to be, significant, the Secretary of State must consider whether it is appropriate for the United Kingdom to make a derogation under Article 15(1) of the Convention. (2) In this section— "overseas operations” means operations of Her Majesty's forces outside the British Islands in the course of which members of those forces may come under attack or face the threat of attack or violent resistance; "Her Majesty's forces” has the same meaning as in the Armed Forces Act 2006 (see section 374 of that Act).""

NC7

To move the following Clause- "Assessment of the reserve forces estate (1) Six months after the passage of this Act and every three years thereafter, the Secretary of State must publish an assessment of the conditions of the reserve forces estate. (2) An assessment under subsection (1) is not limited to but must include an assessment of- (a) catering provisions, (b) personal hygiene provisions, and (c) support for existing and new reserve forces. (3) The Secretary of State must consult the RCFA in conducting an assessment under subsection (1). (4) Under subsection (1) “reserve forces estate” refers to all properties managed by the RFCA. (5) The Secretary of State must lay a copy of each assessment under subsection (1) before each House of Parliament."

NC8

To move the following Clause- "Review of Schedules 1 and 2 of the Armed Forces Act 2006 (1) Within 12 months of the passage of this Act, the Secretary of State must review offences included under Schedules 1 and 2 of the Armed Forces Act 2006. (2) A review under subsection (1) must consider whether any offences pertaining to domestic abuse which have been classified under Schedule 1 of the Armed Forces Act 2006 may be instead classified as an offence under Schedule 2 of that Act. (3) The Secretary of State must lay a copy of the review under subsection (1) before each House of Parliament."

NC9

To move the following Clause- "An armed forces retention strategy (1) This section applies where the Secretary of State lays before Parliament the Ministry of Defence Votes A paper seeking Parliamentary authority for the maximum numbers of personnel to be maintained for service with the armed forces in the following financial year. (2) The Secretary of State must lay alongside the Votes A paper an armed forces retention strategy. (3) The retention strategy must include— (a) an assessment of the current rates of retention across the regular and reserve forces, (b) an explanation of the steps the Ministry of Defence is taking to improve retention to meet the maximum numbers of personnel set out in the Votes A paper, and (c) an assessment of the findings of the most recent Armed Forces Continuous Attitudes Survey and its findings regarding satisfaction with service life."

NC10

To move the following Clause- "Independent review of Armed Forces recruitment and retention (1) The Secretary of State must commission an independent review of the processes for recruitment and retention across His Majesty's forces. (2) The review under subsection (1) must, in particular, consider- (a) the efficiency and consistency of recruitment processes across the Royal Navy, the regular army, the Royal Air Force and the reserve forces, (b) the effectiveness of steps being taken to improve diversity and inclusion within His Majesty's forces, (c) the impact of the quality of defence housing (including single living accommodation) on the retention of service personnel, and

NC11

To move the following Clause- "Duty to provide medical records on discharge (1) This section applies where a person ceases to be a member of the regular forces or the reserve forces. (2) The Secretary of State must by regulations make provision for a complete copy of the person's service medical records is provided to the person no later than one month after the day on which the person is discharged or otherwise ceases to be a member of those forces. (3) Those regulations may specify the manner and form in which service medical records are to be provided under this section, including provision for records to be transferred directly to a civilian health body with the person's consent. (4) In this section— "health body" has the same meaning as in section 343AZB; "service medical records” means any records relating to the person's physical or mental health care and treatment created or maintained by or on behalf of His Majesty's forces during the person's period of service."

NC12

To move the following Clause- "Veterans' Mental Health Oversight Officer (1) The Armed Forces Act 2006 is amended as follows. (2) After section 343C (Establishment and functions of veterans advisory and pensions committees) insert— "343CA Establishment and functions of a Veterans' Mental Health Oversight Officer (1) The Secretary of State must appoint a person to be the Veterans' Mental Health Oversight Officer. (2) The general function of the Officer is to oversee the mental health care and treatment provided to veterans by the health bodies specified in section 343AZB. (3) In exercising their function, the Officer must, in particular, monitor and assess the extent to which health bodies are complying with the duty imposed by section 343AZA (Duty to have due regard to the covenant) in relation to the mental health and well-being of veterans. (4) The Officer may require a health body to provide such information as the Officer considers reasonably necessary to discharge their functions under this section. (5) The Officer must prepare an annual report on the exercise of their functions and the general state of veterans' mental health care and treatment in the United Kingdom. (6) The Secretary of State must lay a copy of the Officer's annual report before each House of Parliament. (7) In this section, “veteran” means a person who has at any time been a service member.""

NC13

To move the following Clause- "Single living accommodation standards (1) The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is amended as follows. (2) In section 101 (The standard of MOD accommodation), after "service family accommodation”, in each place it occurs, insert "and single living accommodation". (3) In subsection (10), at the appropriate place insert— ""single living accommodation” means any building or part of a building which is provided for the use of a person subject to service law or a civilian subject to service discipline as living accommodation, but which is not service family accommodation;”."

NC14

To move the following Clause- "National Standards, Funding and Monitoring of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (1) The Armed Forces Act 2006 is amended as follows. (2) After Section 343AE (Sections 343AA to 343AD: guidance) insert- "343AEA Armed Forces Covenant Duty National Standards (1) The Secretary of State must issue statutory guidance establishing clear and consistent national standards for the discharge of the duties imposed under section 343AA to 343AD ("the Covenant Duty"). (2) The national standards must- (a) set minimum requirements for compliance by relevant public bodies, (b) promote consistency in the quality and accessibility of services provided to members of the armed forces community across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, and (c) require relevant public bodies to demonstrate due regard in a manner capable of objective assessment. (3) Relevant public bodies must have due regard to the standards issued under this section. 343AEB Funding and Support for Delivery (1) The Secretary of State must ensure that sufficient funding is made available to support the effective implementation of the Covenant Duty. (2) The Secretary of State must establish and maintain a dedicated Covenant Duty Training Programme, which shall- (a) provide accessible training and guidance to relevant public bodies, (b) promote awareness and understanding of the purpose and scope of the Covenant Duty among staff and decision-makers, (c) support the sharing of best practice between relevant public bodies, and (d) include provision for capacity-building where required.

NC15

To move the following Clause- "Armed Forces Covenant report: required content (1) The Armed Forces Act 2006 is amended as follows. (2) In section 343A (Armed forces covenant report), after subsection (5) insert- "(5A) An armed forces covenant report must— (a) include an assessment of compliance with armed forces covenant duty national standards under section 343AEA, (b) include analysis of outcomes for the armed forces community, and (c) include recommendations for improvement.""

8

Clause 2, page 3, line 35, after "borough council,” insert- "(iv) the Greater London Authority,"

9

Clause 2, page 3, line 36, at end insert— "(vii) a combined authority established under section 103 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, or (viii) a combined county authority established under section 9(1) of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.”

10

Clause 3, page 10, line 9, leave out “or Wales” and insert ", Wales or Scotland"

11

Clause 3, page 10, line 10, at end insert- "(1A) Where the Defence Housing Service proposes to acquire land in Northern Ireland otherwise than by agreement- (a) it may apply to the Secretary of State for an order vesting the land in the Defence Housing Service, and (b) on an application under paragraph (a), the Secretary of State may make such an order. (1B) References in this section to the acquisition of land or rights over land include the vesting of the land or rights under an order made under subsection (1A).”

12

Clause 3, page 10, line 11, leave out "power under subsection (1)” and insert "powers under subsections (1) and (1A)"

13

Clause 3, page 10, line 14, leave out “power under subsection (1) includes” and insert "powers under subsections (1) and (1A) include"

14

Clause 3, page 10, line 18, after "subsection (1)" insert "or (1A)”

15

Clause 3, page 10, line 22, leave out "power under subsection (1) includes” and insert "powers under subsections (1) and (1A) include"

16

Clause 3, page 10, line 26, at end insert "in England, Wales or Scotland"

17

Clause 3, page 10, line 30, after “space or” insert “(in relation to England or Wales)”

18

Clause 3, page 10, line 34, leave out “Part 4 of Schedule 11A makes"

19

Clause 3, page 10, line 36, at end insert "is made by— (a) Part 4 of Schedule 11A, in relation to England and Wales; (b) Part 5 of that Schedule, in relation to Scotland; (c) Part 6 of that Schedule, in relation to Northern Ireland."

20

Clause 3, page 11, line 1, leave out lines 1 to 7 and insert— ""common” and “open space”— (a) in relation to England or Wales, have the same meanings as in section 19 of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981; (b) in relation to Scotland, have the same meanings as in the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (see section 277(1) of that Act); "Crown land"- (a) in relation to England or Wales, has the same meaning as in Part 13 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (see section 293 of that Act); (b) in relation to Scotland, is to be construed in accordance with Part 12 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997; (c) in relation to Northern Ireland, has the same meaning as in Part 12 of the Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 (S.I. 1991/1220 (N.I. 11)); "fuel or field garden allotment” has the same meaning as in section 19 of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981; "land", in relation to Northern Ireland, has the meaning given by section 45(1)(a) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 (c. 33 (N.I.)); "statutory undertaker”— (a) in relation to England or Wales, has the same meaning as in section 16 of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981; (b) in relation to Scotland, has the same meaning as in the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (see section 214 of that Act); (c) in relation to Northern Ireland, has the same meaning as in the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c.11 (N.I.)).”

21

Clause 3, page 11, line 9, leave out “or Wales” and insert ", Wales or Scotland"

22

Clause 3, page 11, line 11, leave out “, within the meaning given by section 343E(8)”

23

Clause 3, page 11, line 12, leave out "Part 4" and insert "Parts 4 and 5"

24

Clause 3, page 11, line 16, at end insert- "(3) If the Secretary of State— (a) requires land in Northern Ireland for defence purposes, and (b) proposes to acquire the land otherwise than by agreement, the Secretary of State may make an order vesting the land in the Secretary of State. (4) Subsections (3) to (10) of section 343H apply in relation to (or to matters connected with) the compulsory acquisition of land by the Secretary of State by means of an order under subsection (3) as they apply in relation to (or to matters connected with) the compulsory acquisition of land by the Defence Housing Service. (5) Part 7 of Schedule 11A makes further provision in relation to the compulsory acquisition of land by the Secretary of State by means of an order under subsection (3). (6) In this section “defence purposes” has the meaning given by section 343E(8).”

25

Clause 4, page 17, line 21, leave out from "under" to end of line 25 and insert "section 58 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals);"

26

Clause 7, page 19, line 1, at end insert— "(A1) In section 229(1) of AFA 2006, omit paragraph (b) and the “and” before it.”

27

Clause 7, page 19, leave out line 17

Clause 2, page 6, line 37, at end insert- "343AZC Continuity of plans for special educational needs (1) Within six months of the passage of the Armed Forces Act 2026, the Secretary of State must make regulations to make provision for a plan for special educational needs awarded to a person who— (a) is a child of or dependent upon a person serving in the Armed Forces, and (b) becomes ordinarily resident in another part of the United Kingdom when posted. (2) The regulations made under subsection (1) must ensure that, if a person is required to move from one base to another as part of their service in the armed forces, any plan awarded to their child or dependent under subsection (1) must be automatically transferred to the relevant authority. (3) A person to whom subsection (2) applies shall have reasonable time to negotiate a named school for their plan under subsection (1) with the relevant authorities. (4) Under this section, “a plan" means— (a) in England, an Education and Health Care Plan; (b) in Wales, an Individual Development Plan; (c) in Scotland, a Co-ordinated Support Plan; (d) in Northern Ireland, a Statement of Special Educational Needs."

Clause 2, page 6, line 37, at end insert— "343AZC Continuity of adoption and fostering arrangements (1) Within six months of the passage of the Armed Forces Act 2026, the Secretary of State must by regulations make provision for the continuity of adoption and fostering arrangements for a person who— (a) is a serving member of the Armed Forces, (b) has entered into negotiations about potentially adopting or fostering children, and (c) is required to move base as part of their military service. (2) Regulations under subsection (1) must ensure that if a service family is required to move from one base to another, for operational or other reasons, any adoption or fostering arrangements they have made with their existing local authority should be appropriately transferred to the appropriate new local authority. (3) For the purposes of this section, “appropriately transferred” means any adoption or fostering arrangements shall not be disrupted as a result of the transfer from one local authority to another. (4) Regulations under subsection (1) must make provision for minimum residency requirements for adoption or fostering in a local authority to be waived for any service family which is required to move from one local authority jurisdiction to another, for operational or other reasons. (5) Service families to which this section applies shall have an opportunity to renegotiate potential adoption or fostering arrangements with the new local authority, including prior to transfer to their new posting."

Clause 2, page 6, line 37, at end insert— "343AZC Continuity of NHS secondary care services (1) Within six months of the passage of the Armed Forces Act 2026, the Secretary of State must by regulations make provision for the continuity of secondary care treatment for a person who— (a) is a dependent of a member of the regular or reserve forces who is receiving secondary care services from a health body in one part of the United Kingdom, and (b) becomes ordinarily resident in another part of the United Kingdom when the member of the armed forces to whom that person is dependent is posted. (2) Regulations under subsection (1) must make provision for relevant health bodies to take reasonable steps to ensure that any course of secondary care treatment being provided to the dependent is transferred to an appropriate health body in the area to which the dependent relocates, and— (a) the dependent's treatment or place on a treatment waiting list is maintained upon transfer of responsibility of care between health bodies, and (b) the dependent will not require a new referral form from a general practitioner or other primary care professional as a condition for continuation of treatment upon transfer of responsibility of care between health bodies. (3) Regulations under this section must include a requirement for a national authority to issue guidance on— (a) the transfer of patient records, (b) the continuation of treatment pathways upon transfer of responsibility of care between health bodies, and (c) the preservation of waiting list placement upon transfer of responsibility of care between health bodies."

1

Clause 20, page 34, line 27, at end insert- "(iii) a retired holder of such a rank."

6

Clause 33, page 54, line 43, at end insert- "69C Prevention of recall for persons in reserved occupations (1) The Secretary of State may make regulations to define certain categories of civilian work as reserved occupations. (2) A “reserved occupation” under subsection (1) is any category of civilian work which the Secretary of State deems as vital for defence purposes. (3) Persons undertaking a reserved occupation may be exempted from a recall order under section 69A for which they would have otherwise been liable."

Clause 33, page 54, line 43, at end insert— "69C Notice periods for recall (1) Those reservists in Army Reserve Group A, or its equivalents, shall, following the passage of the Armed Forces Act 2026, have their standard notice reduced from readiness category R9 (180 days) to R8 (90 days). (2) For the purposes of this section, “Army Reserve Group A” has the meaning defined in the Reserve Land Forces Regulations 2026."

NC1

To move the following Clause— "Exemption from the European Convention on Human Rights for Deployed Members of the Reserve Forces A member of the reserve forces who has been deployed for operations under this Act may not be subject to the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights for the duration of that deployment."

NC2

To move the following Clause- "Laying of the Defence Investment Plan Within one month of the passage of this Act, the Secretary of State must lay a Defence Investment Plan before both Houses of Parliament."

7

After section 366 of the Armed Forces Act 2006 insert- "366A National Veterans' Commissioner (England): establishment (1) Within 12 months of the passing of the Armed Forces Act 2026, the Secretary of State must appoint a National Veterans' Commissioner for England ("the Commissioner"). (2) The Commissioner shall act independently in carrying out the functions of the office. (3) The Commissioner's functions shall include but are not limited to— (a) promoting the interests of veterans in England; (b) monitoring the operation and effectiveness of the Armed Forces Covenant in England; (c) reviewing the effect of public policy and public services on veterans and their families; (d) identifying barriers faced by veterans in accessing housing, healthcare, employment, education, and other public services; (e) making recommendations to the Secretary of State and to public authorities on improving support for veterans. (4) In exercising the functions under subsection (3) the Commissioner may— (a) carry out reviews and investigations into matters affecting veterans; (b) consult veterans, service charities, public authorities, and other relevant organisations; (c) publish reports and recommendations. (5) The Commissioner shall prepare an annual report on the exercise of the Commissioner's functions. (6) The Commissioner may at any time prepare a report on any matter relating to the interests of veterans in England. (7) The Secretary of State must lay any report prepared by the Commissioner under this section before both Houses of Parliament. (8) The Secretary of State must make arrangements for— (a) the provision of staff, accommodation, and other resources as they consider necessary for the Commissioner to carry out their functions, and (b) the publication of the Commissioner's reports under this section. (9) The Commissioner is to be appointed for a term of three years and may be reappointed for one further term. (10) The Secretary of State may remove the Commissioner from office only on grounds of— (a) incapacity, (b) misbehaviour, or (c) failure to discharge the functions of the office. (11) In this section— "public authority” has the same meaning as in section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998; "veteran" means a person who has served in His Majesty's armed forces.”

Clause 37, page 56, line 35, at end insert— (4) The Secretary of State must create a plan for ensuring and monitoring the efficiency of the RFCA in carrying out its duties and its relationship with local Reserve and Cadet units. (5) The plan in subsection (4) must be laid before each House of Parliament within six months of the passage of this Act.

20

★ Clause 33, page 52, line 1, leave out "65" and insert "67"

21

★ Clause 33, page 52, line 10, leave out "65" and insert "67"

22

★ Clause 33, page 54, line 6, leave out “12” and insert "18"

23

★ Clause 33, page 54, line 43, at end insert- "69C Prevention of recall for persons in reserved occupations (1) The Secretary of State may make regulations to define certain categories of civilian work as reserved occupations. (2) A “reserved occupation” under subsection (1) is any category of civilian work which the Secretary of State deems as vital for defence purposes. (3) Persons undertaking a reserved occupation may be exempted from a recall order under section 69A for which they would have otherwise been liable.”

24

★ Clause 33, page 54, line 43, at end insert- "69C Notice periods for recall (1) Those reservists in Army Reserve Group A, or its equivalents, shall, following the coming into force of the Armed Forces Act 2026, have their standard notice reduced from readiness category R9 (180 days) to R8 (90 days) (2) For the purposes of this section, “Army Reserve Group A” has the meaning defined in the Reserve Land Forces Regulations 2026."

25

★ Clause 33, page 54, line 43, at end insert- "69C Notice periods for recall (1) Those reservists in Army Reserve Group A, or its equivalents, shall, following the coming into force of the Armed Forces Act 2026, have their standard notice reduced from readiness category R9 (180 days) to R8 (90 days) (2) For the purposes of this section, “Army Reserve Group A” has the meaning defined in the Reserve Land Forces Regulations 2026."

NC15

To move the following Clause— "Designation of Maritime Uncrewed Systems as Warships (1) The Secretary of State may designate an uncrewed maritime system as a warship where the Secretary of State considers it appropriate. (2) A designation under subsection (1) may be made only where the system— (a) is operated by or on behalf of the armed forces, and (b) is used, or intended to be used, for defensive purposes. (3) An uncrewed maritime system designated under this section is to be treated as a warship for the purposes of domestic law. (4) In this section, “uncrewed maritime system” means any vessel or platform capable of operating at sea without a person on board.”

NC16

★ To move the following Clause— "Exemption from the European Convention on Human Rights for deployed members of the reserve forces A member of the reserve forces who has been deployed for operations under this Act may not be subject to the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights for the duration of that deployment.”

NC17

To move the following Clause— "Defence Readiness Plan (1) Within one month of the passage of this Act, and every 12 months thereafter, the Secretary of State must lay a Defence Readiness Plan before both Houses of Parliament. (2) The Defence Readiness Plan shall include, but shall not be limited to, a statement of the number of personnel in, and readiness of, each of the Reserve Forces governed by the Reserve Forces Act 1996."

18

★ Clause 25, page 43, line 23, leave out paragraph (a) and insert— “(a) must require that, before a victim is asked to express a preference regarding jurisdiction— (i) the victim is provided with a standardised explanation of the service justice system and the civilian justice system, (ii) such information is presented in a clear, accessible and neutral manner, (iii) the information includes an explanation of the key features, processes, available support and potential outcomes of each system, sufficient to enable the victim to make an informed decision, and (iv) the victim is informed of the availability of any independent legal advice or advocacy and how it may be accessed, (b) must require that- (i) a written record is made of the information provided to the victim, and (ii) where a victim expresses a preference, a record is made of the reasons for that preference, so far as provided by the victim, (c) must not present information in a way that is misleading or lacking appropriate context.”

19

★ Clause 25, page 44, line 33, at end insert— ""independent” means independent of— (a) the chain of command, and (b) any body responsible for the investigation or prosecution of the offence."

NC8

To move the following Clause- "Feasibility study on a Forces Housing Association (1) Within 12 months of the passing of this Act, the Secretary of State shall publish a detailed feasibility study into the possibility of establishing a Forces Housing Association (FHA). (2) The Study must examine the proposals in Chapter 5 of the 2020 Report "Stick or Twist – A Report for The Prime Minister into Retention in HM Armed Forces and how to improve it". (3) The Secretary of State must lay a copy of the study before each House of Parliament."

NC9

★ To move the following Clause- "HM Forces and Veterans Railcards (1) The Secretary of State must, by regulations, provide for the continued provision of- (a) the HM Forces Railcard, and (b) the Veterans Railcard. (2) The railcard schemes under subsection (1) must provide eligible persons with discounted travel on the national rail network. (3) The regulations must specify that such railcard schemes— (a) operate on a national basis; (b) are subject to published eligibility criteria; (c) are maintained in a manner consistent with other national rail concessionary schemes. (4) The regulations may make provision for the detailed operation of the railcard schemes. (5) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this section may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament."

NC10

★ To move the following Clause- "Authorisation of drone use for defence purposes After Part 16D of AFA 2006 (inserted by section 4 of this Act) insert— "PART 16E DEFENCE DRONES 343R Authorisations of drone use for defence purposes (1) An authorised person may authorise the use of unmanned aircraft systems for the purpose of defence- (a) testing, (b) evaluation, (c) training, and (d) capability development. (2) For the purposes of this section, an “authorised person” means— (a) a member of the Armed Forces who has been deemed authorised by the Secretary of State, or (b) a civilian employee of the Ministry of Defence who has been deemed authorised by the Secretary of State. (3) An authorisation under subsection (1) must- (a) be in writing, except in urgent cases in which it may be given verbally and later confirmed in writing as soon as reasonably practicable, and (b) not have effect for a period exceeding six months. (4) An authorised person must have regard to the principles of necessity and proportionality when granting an authorisation under subsection (1).""

NC11

★ To move the following Clause- "Designation of defensive drone offshore areas (1) After Part 16D of AFA 2006 (inserted by section 4 of this Act) insert— "PART 16D DEFENCE DRONES 343R Designation of defence drone offshore areas (1) An authorised person may designate an area of sea and associated airspace as a defence drone offshore area for the purposes of authorised unmanned aircraft operations. (2) For the purposes of this section, an "authorised person” means— (a) a member of the Armed Forces who has been deemed authorised by the Secretary of State, or (b) a civilian employee of the Ministry of Defence who has been deemed authorised by the Secretary of State. (3) Before making an authorisation under subsection (1), the authorised person must consult- (a) the Civil Aviation Authority, (b) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and (c) Any other maritime authorities as the authorised person considers appropriate. (4) An authorised person may impose conditions regarding the operation of unmanned aircraft systems within a designated area.""

NC12

★ To move the following Clause- "Review of Regulatory Framework for Uncrewed Systems (1) Within 12 months of the passage of this Act and once every 12 months thereafter, the Secretary of State must conduct a review of the regulatory framework governing the testing and operation of uncrewed systems in the maritime and land domains. (2) A review under subsection (1) must consider- (a) the framework's impact on the development, testing and deployment of uncrewed systems by small and medium-sized defence suppliers; (b) the existence of any regulatory barriers to timely testing or operational deployment of uncrewed systems for defence purposes; (c) developments in the regulatory frameworks of the United Kingdom's military alliances; (d) the framework's impact on the competitiveness of the United Kingdom's defence industry. (3) A review under subsection (1) must be published as a report and laid before Parliament."

NC13

★ To move the following Clause- "Protective Orders: Persons No Longer Subject to Service Law (1) This section applies where a person— (a) is charged with, or has been convicted of, an offence within the service justice system, and (b) was subject to service law either at the time of the alleged conduct or at the time of the charging decision, whether or not they remain subject to service law at the time of trial or sentencing. (2) A service court may make any of the following orders in respect of a person as if they were still subject to service law— (a) a sexual harm prevention order or interim sexual harm prevention order (see sections 103A to 103K of the Sexual Offences Act 2003); (b) a sexual risk order or interim sexual risk order (see sections 122A to 122K of that Act); (c) a service domestic abuse protection order; (d) a service stalking protection order; (e) a service restraining order (see section 229 of the Armed Forces Act 2006). (3) An order made under subsection (2)— (a) has effect as if made by a civilian court of equivalent jurisdiction, and (b) is enforceable accordingly. (4) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for the recognition, enforcement and variation of orders made under this section, including provision about which court has jurisdiction to vary or discharge such an order after it is made."

NC14

★ To move the following Clause- "Overseas operations and the European Convention on Human Rights After section 14 of the Human Rights Act 1998 insert— "14A Duty to consider derogation in relation to overseas operations (1) Where the Secretary of State considers that any overseas operation is, or is likely to be, significant, the Secretary of State must consider whether it is appropriate for the United Kingdom to make a derogation under Article 15(1) of the Convention. (2) In this section— "overseas operations” means operations of Her Majesty's forces outside the British Islands in the course of which members of those forces may come under attack or face the threat of attack or violent resistance; "Her Majesty's forces” has the same meaning as in the Armed Forces Act 2006 (see section 374 of that Act).””

★ To move the following Clause- "Designation of Maritime Uncrewed Systems as Warships (1) The Secretary of State may designate an uncrewed maritime system as a warship where the Secretary of State considers it appropriate. (2) A designation under subsection (1) may be made only where the system— (a) is operated by or on behalf of the armed forces, and (b) is used, or intended to be used, for defensive purposes. (3) An uncrewed maritime system designated under this section is to be treated as a warship for the purposes of domestic law. (4) In this section, “uncrewed maritime system” means any vessel or platform capable of operating at sea without a person on board.”

17

Clause 3, page 7, line 16, at end insert— "(4) The Defence Housing Service will operate within a budget which must be set out in any Defence Investment Plan published by the Secretary of State.”

14

Clause 3, page 7, line 26, at end insert- "(e) improving the satisfaction of service families with the accommodation provided."

15

Clause 3, page 7, line 26, at end insert- "(e) provide earmarked accommodation to facilitate “contact visits" for children of service personnel, who do not live with them (in accordance with any relevant court order)."

16

Clause 3, page 9, line 27, at end insert- "(4) The Chief Executive of the Defence Housing Service must report directly to the Minister of State for the Armed Forces regarding the performance of the Defence Housing Service."

NC7

To move the following Clause- "Feasibility study on a Forces Housing Association (1) Within 12 months of the passing of this Act, the Secretary of State shall publish a detailed feasibility study into the possibility of establishing a Forces Housing Association (FHA). (2) The Study must examine the proposals in Chapter 5 of the 2020 Report "Stick or Twist – A Report for The Prime Minister into Retention in HM Armed Forces and how to improve it". (3) The Secretary of State must lay a copy of the study before each House of Parliament."

8

Clause 2, page 3, line 19, at end insert— ""due regard” means that specified bodies should think about and place an appropriate amount of weight on the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant when they consider all the key factors relevant to how they carry out their functions."

5

Clause 2, page 6, line 37, at end insert— "343AZC National protocol for consistent access to public services (1) The Secretary of State must prepare and publish a national protocol for consistent access to public services for service people and relevant family members. (2) The national protocol must set out standardised procedures and expectations for the persons specified in section 343AZA(4) regarding the exercise of their functions in relation to the matters specified in section 343AZA(5). (3) In exercising a public function to which section 343AZA applies, a person specified in section 343AZA(4) must act in accordance with the national protocol. (4) The Secretary of State must lay a copy of the national protocol before each House of Parliament no later than six months after the day on which the Armed Forces Act 2026 is passed. (5) The Secretary of State may from time to time revise the national protocol and must publish and lay before each House of Parliament any revised version."

10

Clause 2, page 6, line 37, at end insert— "343AZC Continuity of NHS secondary care services (1) Within six months of the passage of the Armed Forces Act 2026, the Secretary of State must by regulations make provision for the continuity of secondary care treatment for a person who— (a) is a dependent of a member of the regular or reserve forces who is receiving secondary care services from a health body in one part of the United Kingdom, and (b) becomes ordinarily resident in another part of the United Kingdom when the member of the armed forces to whom that person is dependent is posted. (2) The regulations must specify that the relevant health body must take reasonable steps to ensure that any course of secondary care treatment being provided to the dependent is appropriately transferred to an appropriate health body in the area to which the dependent relocates. (3) For the purposes of subsection (2), “appropriately transferred” means— (a) the dependent's treatment or place on a treatment waiting list is maintained upon transfer of responsibility of care between health bodies, and (b) the dependent will not require a new referral form from a general practitioner or other primary care professional as a condition for continuation of treatment upon transfer of responsibility of care between health bodies. (4) Regulations under this section must include a requirement for a national authority to issue guidance on— (a) the transfer of patient records, (b) the continuation of treatment pathways upon transfer of responsibility of care between health bodies, and (c) the preservation of waiting list placement upon transfer of responsibility of care between health bodies."

11

Clause 2, page 6, line 37, at end insert— "343AZC Continuity of plans for Special Educational Needs (1) Within six months of the passage of the Armed Forces Act 2026, the Secretary of State must make regulations to make provision for a plan for Special Educational Needs awarded to a person who— (a) is a parent serving in the Armed Forces, and (b) becomes ordinarily resident in another part of the United Kingdom when posted. (2) The regulations shall specify that the plan for Special Educational Needs awarded to a person in subsection (1), in respect of their child or children, must be portable when responsibility for delivering that plan is transferred from one education body or local authority to another. (3) The regulations made under subsection (1) shall provide that, if a service family are required to move from one base to another, for operational or other reasons, any plan for Special Educational Needs awarded to them or their child via their current education body or local authority shall remain equally valid, post-transfer, with the education body or local authority which covers the area of their new posting. (4) Serving families covered by subsection (2) shall have reasonable time to negotiate a named school for their plan in their new area with the relevant education body and local authority. (5) In this section, “a plan for Special Educational Needs” means— (a) in England, an Education and Health Care Plan, (b) in Wales, an Individual Development Plan, (c) in Scotland, a Co-ordinated Support Plan, (d) in Northern Ireland, a Statement of Special Educational Needs."

12

Clause 2, page 6, line 37, at end insert— "343AZC Continuity of adoption and fostering arrangements (1) Within six months of the passage of the Armed Forces Act 2026, the Secretary of State must by regulations make provision for the continuity of adoption and fostering arrangements for a person who— (a) is a serving member of the Armed Forces, (b) has entered into negotiations about potentially adopting or fostering children, and (c) is required to move base as part of their military service. (2) Regulations under subsection (1) must ensure that if a service family is required to move from one base to another, for operational or other reasons, any adoption or fostering arrangements they have made with their existing local authority should be appropriately transferred to the appropriate new local authority. (3) For the purposes of this section, “appropriately transferred” means any adoption or fostering arrangements shall not be disrupted as a result of the transfer from one local authority to another. (4) Regulations under subsection (1) must make provision for minimum residency requirements for adoption or fostering in a local authority to be waived for any service family which is required to move from one local authority jurisdiction to another, for operational or other reasons. (5) Service families in this position shall have an opportunity to re-negotiate potential adoption or fostering arrangements with the new local authority, including prior to transfer to their new posting."

13

Clause 2, page 6, line 37, at end insert— "343AZC Armed Forces Covenant Action Plans (1) Within six months of the passage of the Armed Forces Act 2026, the Secretary of State must make regulations requiring a local authority to which the Armed Forces Covenant duty applies to prepare and publish an Armed Forces Action Plan. (2) Regulations under subsection (1) must specify that an Armed Forces Action Plan set out— (a) the steps the authority intends to take to fulfil its duties under the Armed Forces Covenant, (b) how the authority will assess local need within the Armed Forces community, and (c) how resources will be allocated to support delivery of those duties. (3) A relevant local authority must, at least once in each reporting period, publish a report on progress made against its action plan. (4) In preparing an action plan and report under this section, a relevant local authority must have regard to any guidance or outcomes issued by the Secretary of State. (5) The Secretary of State may issue guidance, including indicative outcomes or measures, for the purposes of supporting consistent implementation and assessment of the Armed Forces Covenant duty."

2

Clause 3, page 8, line 13, leave out "service family accommodation" and insert "defence housing"

3

Clause 3, page 8, line 16, at end insert— "(6A) The standards in subsection (6) must at a minimum meet the 2006 decent homes standard."

4

Clause 3, page 9, line 12, at end insert— ""2006 decent homes standard" means the document called "A Decent Home: Definition and guidance for implementation” that was published by the Department for Communities and Local Government on 7 June 2006."

6

Clause 12, page 29, line 6, at end insert— "115C Duty to refer sexual offences and domestic abuse to civilian police (1) This section applies where a service police force or the tri-service serious crime unit is made aware of an allegation that a person subject to service law, or a civilian subject to service discipline, has committed a relevant offence in the United Kingdom. (2) The Provost Marshal of the relevant service police force, or the Provost Marshal for serious crime, must immediately refer the allegation and transfer the investigation to the relevant civilian police force. (3) In this section— "relevant civilian police force” means the civilian police force for the area in which the alleged offence took place; "relevant offence" means— (a) any offence under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, (b) an offence involving domestic abuse within the meaning of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, or (c) an offence of attempting or conspiring to commit an offence within sub-paragraph (a) or (b). (4) The Secretary of State may by regulations specify further offences which are to be treated as a relevant offence for the purposes of this section."

9

Clause 20, page 34, line 27, at end insert "or (iii) a retired holder of such a rank."

7

Clause 31, page 51, line 2, at end insert— "(5) The Secretary of State must, in respect of each financial year, publish a report assessing the impact of the provisions under subsections (3) and (4) on the retention of personnel within His Majesty's forces. (6) The report under subsection (5) must include data on the number of personnel who have transferred between the regular and reserve forces, broken down by service and rank. (7) The first such report must be laid before each House of Parliament within a period of 12 months after the day on which this Act is passed. (8) Each subsequent report must be laid before each House of Parliament no later than 12 months after the publication of the last report under this section."

1

Clause 33, page 51, line 31, at end insert— "(2B) This section does not apply to any person who was discharged from the regular services or the reserve forces for a medical reason relating to physical or mental health."

NC1

To move the following Clause— "Single living accommodation standards (1) The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is amended as follows. (2) In section 101 (The standard of MOD accommodation), after “service family accommodation”, in each place it occurs, insert "and single living accommodation". (3) In subsection (10), at the appropriate place insert— ""single living accommodation” means any building or part of a building which is provided for the use of a person subject to service law or a civilian subject to service discipline as living accommodation, but which is not service family accommodation;”."

NC2

To move the following Clause— "Veterans' Mental Health Oversight Officer (1) The Armed Forces Act 2006 is amended as follows. (2) After section 343C (Establishment and functions of veterans advisory and pensions committees) insert— "343CA Establishment and functions of a Veterans' Mental Health Oversight Officer (1) The Secretary of State must appoint a person to be the Veterans' Mental Health Oversight Officer. (2) The general function of the Officer is to oversee the mental health care and treatment provided to veterans by the health bodies specified in section 343AZB. (3) In exercising their function, the Officer must, in particular, monitor and assess the extent to which health bodies are complying with the duty imposed by section 343AZA (Duty to have due regard to the covenant) in relation to the mental health and well-being of veterans. (4) The Officer may require a health body to provide such information as the Officer considers reasonably necessary to discharge their functions under this section. (5) The Officer must prepare an annual report on the exercise of their functions and the general state of veterans' mental health care and treatment in the United Kingdom. (6) The Secretary of State must lay a copy of the Officer's annual report before each House of Parliament. (7) In this section, “veteran” means a person who has at any time been a service member.""

NC3

To move the following Clause— "Duty to provide medical records on discharge (1) This section applies where a person ceases to be a member of the regular forces or the reserve forces. (2) The Secretary of State must by regulations make provision for a complete copy of the person's service medical records is provided to the person no later than one month after the day on which the person is discharged or otherwise ceases to be a member of those forces. (3) Those regulations may specify the manner and form in which service medical records are to be provided under this section, including provision for records to be transferred directly to a civilian health body with the person's consent. (4) In this section— "health body" has the same meaning as in section 343AZB; "service medical records” means any records relating to the person's physical or mental health care and treatment created or maintained by or on behalf of His Majesty's forces during the person's period of service."

NC4

To move the following Clause— "Independent review of Armed Forces recruitment and retention (1) The Secretary of State must commission an independent review of the processes for recruitment and retention across His Majesty's forces. (2) The review under subsection (1) must, in particular, consider— (a) the efficiency and consistency of recruitment processes across the Royal Navy, the regular army, the Royal Air Force and the reserve forces, (b) the effectiveness of steps being taken to improve diversity and inclusion within His Majesty's forces, (c) the impact of the quality of defence housing (including single living accommodation) on the retention of service personnel, and (d) the impact of the medical discharge process on retention and transition to civilian life. (3) A report of the review must be laid before each House of Parliament no later than 12 months after the day on which this Act is passed."

NC5

To move the following Clause— "An armed forces retention strategy (1) This section applies where the Secretary of State lays before Parliament the Ministry of Defence Votes A paper seeking Parliamentary authority for the maximum numbers of personnel to be maintained for service with the armed forces in the following financial year. (2) The Secretary of State must lay alongside the Votes A paper an armed forces retention strategy. (3) The retention strategy must include— (a) an assessment of the current rates of retention across the regular and reserve forces, (b) an explanation of the steps the Ministry of Defence is taking to improve retention to meet the maximum numbers of personnel set out in the Votes A paper, and (c) an assessment of the findings of the most recent Armed Forces Continuous Attitudes Survey and its findings regarding satisfaction with service life."

NC6

To move the following Clause— "National Veterans' Commissioner (England) After section 366 of the Armed Forces Act 2006 insert— "366A National Veterans' Commissioner (England): establishment (1) Within 12 months of the passing of the Armed Forces Act 2026, the Secretary of State must appoint a National Veterans' Commissioner for England ("the Commissioner"). (2) The Commissioner shall act independently in carrying out the functions of the office. (3) The Commissioner shall, amongst others, perform the following functions— (a) promote the interests of veterans in England; (b) monitor the operation and effectiveness of the Armed Forces Covenant in England; (c) review the effect of public policy and public services on veterans and their families; (d) identify barriers faced by veterans in accessing housing, healthcare, employment, education, and other public services; (e) make recommendations to the Secretary of State and to public authorities on improving support for veterans. (4) In exercising these functions the Commissioner may— (a) carry out reviews and investigations into matters affecting veterans; (b) consult veterans, service charities, public authorities, and other relevant organisations; (c) publish reports and recommendations. (5) The Commissioner shall prepare an annual report on the exercise of the Commissioner's functions. (6) The Commissioner may at any time prepare a report on any matter relating to the interests of veterans in England. (7) The Secretary of State shall lay any report prepared under this section before both Houses of Parliament. (8) The Secretary of State must make arrangements for— (a) the provision of such staff, accommodation, and other resources as they consider necessary for the Commissioner to carry out their functions; (b) the publication of the Commissioner's reports. (9) The Commissioner is to be appointed for a term of three years and may be reappointed for a further term. (10) The Secretary of State may remove the Commissioner from office only on grounds of— (a) incapacity, (b) misbehaviour, or (c) failure to discharge the functions of the office. (11) In this section— "public authority" has the same meaning as in section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998; "veteran" means a person who has served in His Majesty's armed forces.""