All 1 Andrew Mitchell contributions to the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill 2019-21

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Wed 23rd Sep 2020
Overseas Operations (Service Personnel And Veterans) Bill
Commons Chamber

2nd reading & 2nd reading & 2nd reading: House of Commons & 2nd reading

Overseas Operations (Service Personnel And Veterans) Bill Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Overseas Operations (Service Personnel And Veterans) Bill

Andrew Mitchell Excerpts
2nd reading & 2nd reading: House of Commons
Wednesday 23rd September 2020

(4 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Ben Wallace Portrait Mr Wallace
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I thank my right hon. Friend.

Andrew Mitchell Portrait Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield) (Con)
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I do think we are nearly there on this point, but my right hon. Friend knows that it is important, because it has been raised by some very senior members of the armed forces. I have talked to his excellent junior Minister, the Minister for Defence People and Veterans, my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Moor View (Johnny Mercer), and we all want the lawfare that my right hon. Friend described, which is so outrageous, stopped. Mrs Thatcher brought in the Criminal Justice Act 1988, which made it clear that torture of anyone, anywhere is a criminal offence. It would be very helpful if my right hon. Friend now made it clear, in addition to his response to the right hon. Member for East Ham (Stephen Timms), that it is never acceptable, under any circumstance, for any act of torture to take place.

Ben Wallace Portrait Mr Wallace
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I fully agree with my right hon. Friend: torture is not an acceptable part of what any soldier or any citizen of this country should take part in. Where former Governments, of all colours, have been found to have not upheld those standards, they have either been prosecuted or faced the consequences. No one is excluding that and no one is decriminalising it.