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1,690 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Fourth sitting)Q The ombudsman can look backwards. We heard Major Campbell the other day; even though he had been completely exonerated, there was no ability to investigate why he was treated…08 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (First sitting)Q In terms of a time limit to investigations, do you see anything that would legally stop or prevent that? Hilary Meredith: I think that part 2, on the time limit, should be taken…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q Yes, but the unique thing about this is not the time limit. I accept that there are time limits for various things in civil law as well as criminal. The difference here is that…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (First sitting)Q The presumption not to prosecute always seems like a strange thing. It is like investigating you for burglary, but saying in advance that we are going to make sure we are not…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (First sitting)Q I might be able to answer some of that. Partly it was a cultural thing in Iraq. In the early days, the Americans and others were seen to be paying money out for car accidents…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (First sitting)Q Hilary, you talked about an advocate, and obviously people who have been falsely accused need redress, in terms of getting their name cleared. Do you think there is an…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (First sitting)Q Even if we stay it for current cases, could that responsibility be given to the ombudsman for future cases? Hilary Meredith: If their remit is extended and they could cope with…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q 60 This is a general point for everyone. There is a five-year cut-off period in the Bill as outlined. Could you each consider the justification for that and why it should not be…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q Thank you for that, but the difference here is that, unlike with other time limits, there is a presumption that someone will not be prosecuted. There are two things to say on…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q Are there any other instances where you have in law a presumption not to prosecute before you have actually done the investigation? Dr Morgan: Criminal procedure is not my area,…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q Can I follow up one last point? Dr Morgan has already answered it, but I would be interested to know what you two think. The presumption at the outset that you are not going to…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q The difference here is that this will actually be on the face of the Bill, in the sense that, at the beginning, the presumption will be not to prosecute. Putting the time limits…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)It is slightly different from that, I would argue, because it is presuming that you will not prosecute at the outset, which I think is difficult. Thank you very much.06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q Does that not demonstrate the point made earlier about people being aware of their rights, in terms of taking cases forward? To answer Stuart’s point about cases, charities take…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q In the case of no-fault compensation, would that then be within the existing armed forces compensation scheme? How would you change that? Dr Morgan: The proposal to make that…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q When I was a Minister, I extended the issues around mental health in 2009, I think it was. You would not have to have a limitation time and it would be automatic for that person…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q Would it extend to, for example, mental health grounds? The original 2000 Act was quite limited in terms of date of knowledge and other things around mental health. The Lord…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q The Government have announced that they are going to bring similar legislation with reference to Northern Ireland, although the Northern Ireland situation would be…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q No, I am not either; I just wanted to know what your views are. This Bill is being portrayed as if it will draw a line under Afghanistan and Iraq, which it clearly will not, as…06 Oct 2020HANSARDOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill (Second sitting)Q I struggle to find consistent statistics about civilian claims against the MOD, and some people have clearly given the impression that all civilian claims are by Phil…06 Oct 2020