Contributions
1,082 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)I beg to move amendment 14, in clause 3, page 7, line 26, at end insert— “(e) improving the satisfaction of service families with the accommodation provided.” This amendment would…26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)So you haven’t seen it.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 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)We all know how this works. That was what, in “All the President’s Men”, they would have called a non-denial denial. I am afraid we have had no satisfaction, so we will press…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 17, in clause 3, page 7, line 16, at end insert— “(4) The Defence Housing Service will operate within a budget which must be set out in any Defence…26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)I am not saying that in 14 years we got everything right, but we never ended up in a situation in which we could not put a destroyer to sea, to a NATO exercise, with three months’…26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed 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 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)This might seem like a point of detail, but it is important. I will come on to “Stick or Twist?” later, but one thing that came out very clearly is that many families wanted what…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 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 (Third sitting)I appreciate the spirit in which the Minister is replying. I have learned to take his word. Just so he does not think that we have a blanket policy of voting on everything this…26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)One day, obviously, but not quite yet.26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)I am so sorry; I have done it again. Mr Efford, I was not planning to press the amendment to a Division, but now I will—before I “retire”. Question put, That the amendment be made.26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)Mr Offord, I was—26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)It may assist the Committee to know that when I looked at this in “Stick or Twist?”, we realised that we were talking about two slightly different propositions, and that some of…26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)I thank the hon. Gentleman for his kind comment—every dog has its day. Yes, I think it should, and that is partly the purpose for tabling the amendment. For the avoidance of…26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)Yes, and in the immortal words of Mandy Rice-Davies, they would say that, wouldn’t they? We were proposing a slightly more market-oriented solution. Registered social landlords…26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)I will finish this point, then of course I will give way. Some housing associations have been looking after public sector housing, which is effectively what forces housing is, for…26 Mar 2026HANSARDArmed Forces Bill (Third sitting)The essence of new clause 7 is that the Government should prepare a feasibility study of the relative merits of introducing a forces housing association, as recommended in the…26 Mar 2026