Contributions
1,082 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)I appreciate everything that the Minister has said. None the less, we feel strongly about amendment 14, so we will press it to a vote. Question put, That the amendment be made.26 Mar 2026HANSARD Gurkha VeteransAs former Officer Cadet Francois 24663730, and latterly Lieutenant Francois, 5th Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment (Volunteers), I am proud to be asked to sum up for His…26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)I beg to move amendment 15, in clause 3, page 7, line 26, at end insert— “(e) provide earmarked accommodation to facilitate “contact visits” for children of service personnel, who…26 Mar 2026HANSARD Gurkha Veterans—although I hear calls from senior Members behind me to do so. Nevertheless, I can perhaps provide at least some additional context to this debate. Let me set out what I mean by…26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)I am grateful for that detail. I agree that it is a step in the right direction, so it would be churlish not to welcome it. To give credit where it is due, when my hon. Friend the…26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)I beg to move amendment 16, in clause 3, page 9, line 27, at end insert— “(4) The Chief Executive of the Defence Housing Service must report directly to the Minister of State for…26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Second sitting)I am loath to interrupt the hon. Gentleman, because he is making an extremely powerful speech. I pay tribute to his service. When I was the Veterans Minister a decade ago, I…24 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Second sitting)The Minister has made a strong argument. I place on the record my admiration for the three veterans commissioners for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, all of whom are…24 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (First sitting)I am not quite convinced by the Minister’s argument. I understand what he is saying, but if Corporal Tommy Atkins, his wife and their special needs child in Wiltshire are posted…24 Mar 2026HANSARD DefenceIf I may, I will make just one more point and then give way. Moreover, Labour claims repeatedly that it is introducing the largest increase in defence spending since the cold war,…24 Mar 2026HANSARD DefenceWhen I spoke from this Dispatch Box barely a month ago, I had literally just returned, hot foot, from Ukraine. Those who were here that evening might recall that I conveyed to the…24 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (First sitting)No, Mr Efford, and I was just going to say why not. I tipped my hand earlier and said that I probably would not press it. I will accept the Minister’s kind offer of a meeting to…24 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (First sitting)The hon. Member is making my point for me. In the civilian context they might not be ordered to move, but in a military context their whole unit might move, so they do not have a…24 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (First sitting)Let me say briefly that I hope that, if nothing else—24 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (First sitting)Having been a Member of Parliament for 25 years in June, I have learned not to look a gift horse in the mouth. I say that in the nicest possible way, so I will take the hint, and…24 Mar 2026HANSARD DefenceWill the Minister give way on that point?24 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (First sitting)I appreciate the hon. Lady’s point. Having looked at the White Paper in a fair bit of detail, I have tried to incorporate how the system will change into what I am going to say.…24 Mar 2026HANSARD DefenceI cannot; I do apologise. The international skies are rapidly darkening, and the response of the Labour Government is, first, to cut operational spending in our armed forces by…24 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (First sitting)I accept the hon. Lady’s point, but in effect the EHCP relates to the child, and the parents have to fight the system to get it. I am very happy to take her advice on board if I…24 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (First sitting)Although my hon. Friend the Member for Exmouth and Exeter East is leading for the Opposition on clause 2, I nevertheless want to make a particular point in relation to special…24 Mar 2026