Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Accepted
Secretary of State's timetable restricted opportunities for oral evidence gathering.
Conclusion
The timetable presented to us by the Secretary of State for producing a report meant there were fewer opportunities to take oral evidence on this subject than we would have preferred. (Conclusion, Paragraph 5)
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's observation regarding the limited timeframe for the report and commits to annual engagement between the Minister for Veterans and People and the Committee, as well as appointing a committee to consider the Armed Forces Bill 2026.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) agrees with the conclusion at Paragraph 5, acknowledging that the timeframe for producing the report was limited. The MOD greatly values the Committee’s efforts in gathering and analysing both oral and written evidence in the short timescale provided. We appreciate the Committee’s thorough and timely recommendations and welcome further collaboration with the Committee on this subject. The Minister for Veterans and People has committed to engaging with the Committee on an annual basis. We believe that ongoing Committee scrutiny will be particularly valuable once the Armed Forces Covenant is fully embedded into law. This will help ensure that discussions are guided by the practical application of the new framework. The MOD’s expectation is that, as for previous Armed Forces Bills, a Committee will be appointed to consider the matters in the Armed Forces Bill 2026 and to take evidence from interested/invited stakeholders. The Covenant today