HM Government response to the Committee's report on the Constitutional arrangements for the use of armed force

This is the government's response, published 25 October 2013.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Government welcomes the Lords Constitution Committee's report, agrees with several of its conclusions, and says it will reflect carefully before deciding how to proceed on formalising Parliament's role in approving deployments.

• It agrees that the full Cabinet "must and will remain the ultimate decision-making body" on whether to use armed force overseas.
• On amending the Cabinet Manual to describe internal arrangements for advising and deciding on armed force, it "will do so the next time a major revision" is carried out, including a description of the role of the Defence Council.
• On court scrutiny of operational decisions, it shares the Committee's concern about effects on morale and operational independence, and will "vigorously" defend cases it considers question combat immunity, then decide "what if any further action" may be necessary.
• On formalising Parliament's role, it has "taken careful note" of the Committee's conclusions and says any approach must not compromise emergency response capability or the security of future operations.

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