Contributions
703 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Third sitting)I ask because Major Campbell talked about the 17 years of investigation and re-investigation, so some sort of time limit might reduce the chances of that re-occurring. General Sir…08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Third sitting)Q The Bill has a time limit on prosecutions. Would you therefore consider that a time limit on the investigation rather than the prosecution might be more appropriate? General Sir…08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q How long ago was that meeting? Judge Blackett: About a month ago—something like that.08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Third sitting)Q I apologise; I did not declare an interest at the start because I did not think it was relevant, but my husband also served in Sierra Leone in the early 2000s. General Parker,…08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Third sitting)I am talking specifically about part 2. Charles Byrne: Yes, indeed. I think there is a level of understanding that is required, but when people understand the potential for…08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Third sitting)Q The six-year limit is being sold as being beneficial to veterans. Do you see it as such? Charles Byrne: It is an interesting question. I think there will be support for the…08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Third sitting)Q Okay. Can we talk specifically about part 2 of the Bill? Part 2 puts limits on people making a claim for negligence against the MOD and you are suggesting that that is putting…08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Fourth sitting)Before Second Reading. Judge Blackett: It was.08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q So were you surprised not to see any change, or any of this within the Bill that was presented? Judge Blackett: To be fair to the Minister, he said to everybody, “I want to fix…08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Fourth sitting)We have heard that many times, but we are slightly concerned. Judge Blackett: I take the Minister at his word—if he says that he is open to any suggestion, he or his staff must…08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Fourth sitting)Yes. Judge Blackett: The previous witness talked about the inability of service personnel to sue, because of the six years. It is rather like going back to section 10 of the Crown…08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q I was going to ask about the re-investigations, but we have already covered that, so I will move on. Do you have any concerns about part 2 of the Bill? Judge Blackett: The…08 Oct 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe Macallan, a single malt whisky bottled by Edrington in my constituency, is just one of many iconic Scottish products suffering under the 25% US trade tariffs. A year down the…08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Third sitting)Q Could you give us examples of situations where individuals might fall out with this six-year limit? Charles Byrne: In terms of specific examples, I cannot at the moment. I know…08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q The Minister asked you why advice over the past 15 or 16 years had not been heeded. Are you confident that your advice, and the evidence that you have given to the Committee…08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (First sitting)Q Given that it would be difficult—I know that we are very short of time, Chair—to gather evidence when there is still an ongoing conflict, is five years a realistic point?06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q This is my final question to both of you. Do you feel that veterans are being misled by the Government spin around the Bill, particularly with regard to part 2? Clive Baldwin:…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q Thank you. Mr Baldwin, do you have any additional comments to make? Clive Baldwin: Just to add that, although some time limits on civil claims are quite common in systems, there…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q We have been told that the six-year limit is actually to encourage prompt claims, which might be one line of argument. Are there any circumstances in which you can see that…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q Martha, do you agree with those comments? Martha Spurrier: This Bill protects the MOD and the Government much more than it protects anybody else.06 Oct 2020