Armed Forces Bill (Programme) — Select Committee — 9 Jan 2001

I beg to move,

That the following provisions shall apply to the Armed Forces Bill:

1. The Bill shall be committed to a Select Committee.

2. The Select Committee shall report the Bill to the House on or before Thursday 15th March.

This clause provides a general order-making power which would enable the Secretary of State to make for the armed forces provisions equivalent to those contained in any future civilian criminal justice legislation or any existing legislation that it amends.

Oppositions do not like giving such carte blanche to any Minister of the Crown.

When our forces are overseas, and the provisions of the SOFAs do not apply,

terms comparable to those in the SOFA, with concurrent

jurisdiction for ourselves and the receiving state, to ensure that our personnel are subject to UK jurisdiction while on duty and, as far as possible, are exempted from certain punishments for offences committed outside the course of their duties. The Government hope to "secure exclusive UK jurisdiction". It gets complicated, however. For example,

UK forces operating under NATO or the UN in the Balkans

are immune from the local jurisdiction under arrangements negotiated

It being forty-five minutes after the commencement of proceedings on the motion, Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Order [7 November], put forthwith the Question already proposed from the Chair.

Question put:--

The House divided: Ayes 320, Noes 130.

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