Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton and Ranil Jayawardena

Monday 25th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Ranil Jayawardena (North East Hampshire) (Con)]

6. If he will introduce a statute of limitations on prosecutions in order to protect servicemen and women.

[The Minister for the Armed Forces (Mark Lancaster)]

We take the prosecution of veterans very seriously. Our service personnel are of course subject to the law, but veterans should not have to face repeated investigations many years after the events in question. That is why we have a dedicated defence team looking at this complex issue. A statute of limitations, which presents significant challenges, is the subject of inquiry by the Select Committee on Defence, and we await its report with interest.

[Mr Jayawardena]

I recently met Field Marshal Lord Bramall, the former head of the armed forces, who is one of my constituents. Since last year when so many of my constituents signed the petition on this issue, how has my right hon. and gallant Friend been ensuring that the political context of the troubles, which Lord Bramall’s book, “The Bramall Papers”, describes, is taken into account in today’s politically motivated witch hunts?