Armed Forces (Federation) Bill [Failed Bill 2006/07 session]

Kevan Jones (Lab, North Durham) presented a ten minute rule bill on the establishment of a Federation for the Armed Forces.

Jones said that the bill would create the armed forces federation open to serving and retired members of Her Majesty’s armed forces, both regular and reserve.

He said that he believed there to be “a groundswell of opinion among the public as well as among members of the armed forces that it is time that those members should have an independent voice to represent their interests”.

He added that “recent controversies” surrounding accommodation, the treatment given in medical facilities to injured personnel returning from Iraq and the scandal at Deepcut highlighted the “increasing need for members of the armed forces to have an independent voice and to ensure that it is heard”.

He went on to say that the aim of the Bill was to encompass the 10-point plan put forward by the BAFF, which stated that the federation’s mission should be to “represent, foster and promote the professional welfare, and other legitimate interests of all members of the federation in their capacity as serving or retired personnel of the fighting services of the United Kingdom”.

He said that the activities of the federation would cover five main areas; professional and career development through the provision of education and information; liaison, monitoring and response to proposals or developments within the armed forces and in Parliament, and the provision of services in the public or commercial sector for armed forces personnel advocacy and consultation to protect and improve the of service life, including pay, accommodation, medical and welfare services, resettlement packages and all other areas of support for armed forces personnel and their families; support to personnel facing court martial or other legal proceedings in connection with their service; and negotiation of commercial benefits for armed forces personnel and their families.

House of Commons

First reading: June 6 2007 [HC Bill 117]

Bill dropped