House of Commons · General Debate
08 April 2025 · 12 other contributors
Opened by Calvin Bailey Lab Leyton and Wanstead
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Calvin Bailey raised concerns about armed forces covenant 2025-04-08 in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.
Key points
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Presented the Defence Committee's fourth report of this Parliament, focusing on the armed forces covenant. Emphasised the mixed effectiveness of the current covenant based on evidence from serving personnel, their families, and veterans. Recommended extending the covenant to all Government Departments and emphasising consistent application and implementation.
Asked questions about the report's findings on the effectiveness of the current covenant.
Welcomed the report and questioned the role of the Armed Forces Commissioner in upholding the armed forces covenant, suggesting an independent role for assessing Government Departments' adherence to it.
Highlighted issues with non-UK personnel and their families regarding immigration status. Urged resolution of this issue ahead of the covenant's expansion.
Raised concerns about changes to inheritance tax on armed forces death-in-service payments, considering it a breach of the Armed Forces Covenant. Asked for steps to rectify the situation quickly.
Acknowledged local council initiatives supporting veterans but stressed the need for better promotion of the armed forces covenant in constituencies to ensure it reaches those who need it most.
He highlighted the challenges faced by soldiers moving between different parts of the UK, citing examples such as NHS appointments and differing policies on childcare support in Scotland compared to England. He questioned whether the government could address these disparities effectively.
She raised concerns about retention rates within the armed forces, citing that 31% of service personnel feel that the covenant is not being applied to them in terms of NHS services and 40% feel it’s not applied regarding education. She asked how the committee sees the covenant dovetailing with recommendations from a review on incentivising military careers.
He discussed childcare issues, noting that soldiers with younger children are better off in England but older pre-school children fare better in Scotland. He emphasised the importance of addressing this issue to facilitate smoother movement and job maintenance for military families.
He raised issues with universities selectively applying the armed forces covenant, leading to difficulties for service personnel who may be redeployed during their studies. He asked that these concerns be taken into account to facilitate resettlement.
She advocated for priority in-year school admissions and timely transfer of educational and healthcare plans as important additions to the covenant, aiming to support military families who frequently move between local authorities due to service requirements.
He questioned whether the implementation plan for the covenant would ensure equal coverage across all parts of the UK, particularly highlighting issues in Northern Ireland such as non-existent support services for homeless ex-service personnel and barriers to accessing specialised healthcare.
He asked about what was learned from engagements with families of service personnel, focusing on the unseen trauma they face due to frequent relocations and inadequate support from Government Departments.
Shadow Response
Paul HolmesWelcomed the report and questioned the role of the Armed Forces Commissioner in upholding the armed forces covenant, suggesting an independent role for assessing Government Departments' adherence to it.