Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Oral Answers to Questions

Kirstene Hair Excerpts
Monday 5th March 2018

(6 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Kirstene Hair Portrait Kirstene Hair (Angus) (Con)
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17. What plans he has to introduce greater flexibility in the conditions of service for the armed forces.

Tobias Ellwood Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Tobias Ellwood)
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Members will recall that the Armed Forces (Flexible Working) Bill passed its Third Reading on 29 January 2018 and has now received Royal Assent. It will allow Regular armed forces personnel to work part time for a temporary period, subject to the operational capability of the applicant’s unit.

Tobias Ellwood Portrait Mr Ellwood
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I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s question. It is important to recognise that we need to reflect the needs and aspirations of civilian society. Flexible capability has already been introduced, and the process is ongoing. The Bill has received Royal Assent, as I mentioned, and will come into force in April 2019.

Kirstene Hair Portrait Kirstene Hair
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It is extremely important that we continue to make careers in the armed forces desirable through measures such as flexible working. However, in Scotland, due to the SNP Government, personnel will be paying higher taxes than their colleagues south of the border. Will my right hon. Friend do all he can to clear up the ill-thought-out mess that the SNP has created?

Tobias Ellwood Portrait Mr Ellwood
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I am not sure there is much more to add than “ill-thought-out mess”.