This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament
Petition Enshrine the Military Covenant in UK Law
As a Veteran I would like our Politicians to protect the men and women who protected them, by ensuring that the Military Covenant is made law. This should place specific legal responsibilities on councils to help our community, and so open many doors that are currently being held closed.
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The Armed Forces Covenant makes commitments, but is currently voluntary. The Government should make the Covenant law, and create statutory requirements for the provision of services such as housing and mental health support for veterans.
Far too many veterans have taken their own lives in recent years, and many have been ignored for housing because of the failure to implement legislation to protect the very people who gave up their lives to protect others. Actions is what we need, debates and promises will not be accepted any longer.
This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months
Government responded
This response was given on 9 November 2020
This Government is highly focused on the needs of the Armed Forces Community and is committed to strengthening the Armed Forces Covenant through further legislation as set out in the Queen’s speech.
As a key commitment in the Election Manifesto, work is now ongoing to introduce further legislation to Parliament at the earliest opportunity as a key Government priority.
The Armed Forces Covenant has been working across the UK at the local level for nearly 10 years with every local authority in Great Britain having made pledges of support. As a result, we have seen a significant improvement in the understanding of how Service life can impact on the Armed Forces community, and how best to improve their day-to-day experience, and ensure they are not disadvantaged in accessing public or commercial services.
However, the Government was concerned that the current legislation is not enough in itself to ensure the future of the Covenant and the support it offers our Armed Forces Community. It has therefore confirmed that strengthening the Armed Forces Covenant remains a key priority for this Government, and is engaging with key stakeholders across the country to develop policy and guidance to support this work going forward.
Ministry of Defence
Related activity
MPs to debate Remembrance, UK Armed forces and society in the House of Commons
MPs will debate remembrance, UK armed forces and society this Wednesday 11 November in the main House of Commons Chamber. The subject of the debate has been determined by the Government.
This will be a general debate. General debates allow MPs to debate important issues, however they do not end in a vote nor can they change the law.
The debate will start sometime after 12.30pm, following PMQs and the ten-minute rule motion on supported housing.
Watch here this Wednesday: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/a26027d1-e61a-4f3a-b335-77d8fe3bd998
Find out more about how Parliamentary debates work: https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/business/debates/
MPs to debate Armed Forces Bill on Monday 8 February
MPs will debate the Armed Forces Bill on Monday 8 February in the main House of Commons chamber. This is a Second Reading debate, where Members debate the general principles of the Bill.
At the end of the debate, the Commons decides whether the Bill should be given its second reading, meaning it can proceed to the next stage.
The Government has said that this Bill will the Armed Forces Bill will enshrine the Armed Forces Covenant in law and help prevent service personnel and veterans being disadvantaged when accessing services like healthcare, education and housing. You can read the Government's press release about this Bill here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-legislation-to-help-ensure-fair-treatment-for-armed-forces
Watch the debate, which should start at approximately 3.30pm, here: https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/48e268b1-05ed-4b19-b9cb-60d019f93086
Find out more about Second Readings here: https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-commons-second-reading/
Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill wants to hear your views
A group of MPs called the Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill are seeking views on the Armed Forces Bill in order to help direct their inquiry. They want to hear from serving personnel of the Armed Forces, veterans, the families of personnel and veterans, and civilians subject to service law on the forthcoming Bill.
Among other measures, The Armed Forces Bill aims to enshrine the Armed Forces Covenant in law and introduce a legal duty for some UK public bodies to have due regard to the principles of the Covenant.
You can share your views here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=nt3mHDeziEC-Xo277ASzSvF-X0roCkZCu1WsHSZpbzNUNUlaQzlCQ09TNlNESUFKRkgwT1VBWkdVWC4u
The survey will be open until 5pm on Monday 5 April.
The Committee has been hearing from experts and practitioners in a series of evidence sessions, and will hear from Johnny Mercer MP, the Minister for Defence People and Veterans, on Wednesday 24 March.
You can watch the session here: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/fa14d42e-7b10-4bc8-9f2f-b8171b3ba864
You can find the transcripts for previous sessions here: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/509/select-committee-on-the-armed-forces-bill/publications/oral-evidence/
Follow the Committee’s work on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArmedForcesBill
What is the Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill?
Every five years, the Government must present an Armed Forces Bill, to provide the legal basis for the armed forces and the system of military law which exists in the UK. A select committee is set up to scrutinise the Bill, and like other select committees it is made up of MPs from different parties.
You can find more information, including membership, on the Committee’s website: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/509/select-committee-on-the-armed-forces-bill/
Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill publishes final report
The Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill has published its Special Report. The report comes after four weeks of careful scrutiny, which included written evidence, oral evidence and line-by-line bill consideration of the Bill. A public survey also provided a welcome source of additional input and feedback – the Committee is very grateful to all those who took part and shared their views.
You can read more about the report here: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/509/select-committee-on-the-armed-forces-bill/news/154703/select-committee-on-the-armed-forces-bill-publishes-final-report-on-bill/
You can read the full report here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/5580/documents/55272/default/
On Thursday 22 April the Chair of the Committee, James Sunderland MP, gave a statement to the House of Commons on the report, and answered questions from other MPs.
You can watch the statement and questions here: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/0acd32d8-1b90-4f71-a8cc-2d8688235a09?in=12:36:15&out=12:59:59
The Armed Forces Bill will now return to the House of Commons and continue its passage through Parliament. You can follow its progress and find other information about the Bill here: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2822
What is the Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill?
Every five years, the Government must present an Armed Forces Bill, to provide the legal basis for the armed forces and the system of military law which exists in the UK. A select committee is set up to scrutinise the Bill, and like other select committees it is made up of MPs from different parties.
You can find more information, including membership, on the Committee’s website: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/509/select-committee-on-the-armed-forces-bill/
Military covenant enshrined in law after Parliament passes Armed Forces Act 2021
The Armed Forces Act 2021 has enshrined the Armed Forces Covenant in law for the first time. This is to seek to prevent service personnel and veterans from being disadvantaged when accessing services like healthcare, education and housing. The Act also contains provisions in a number of other areas.
The Act received royal assent on Tuesday 15 December. Once a bill has completed all the parliamentary stages in both Houses, it is ready to receive royal assent. This is when the Queen formally agrees to make the bill into an Act of Parliament (law).
Read the Government's announcement about the Act receiving royal assent here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-armed-forces-bill-passed-in-parliament
Find out more about the changes that Bill went through in the Commons and the Lords: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9392/
You can find all documents relating to the Bill's passage through Parliament here: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2822
Get involved in the work of the UK Parliament
You can sign up to the UK Parliament newsletter for the latest information on how to get involved and make a difference: https://learning.parliament.uk/en/your-uk-parliament-newsletter-sign-up-form/