Armed Forces (Pensions and Compensation) Bill
2:30 pm
Mr Ivor Caplin (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Defence; Hove, Labour)
Calm down at the back. In doing that, I pay tribute to both Whips Offices for playing their roles as the usual channels. We have made provision through the usual channels for the sittings on Tuesday 10 February and Tuesday 24 February to be extended until 6 pm, should the Committee need that time to resolve its discussions.
I should also like to bring to the Committee's attention the intention of the Government that on Tuesday 24 February at 8.55 am, the responses in the morning session will be given by the Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Tottenham (Mr. Lammy). He will deal with clause 5 and schedule 1, which relate wholly to the pensions appeal tribunal. I am grateful for his support in that programming issue. We regard as important the distinction between the Ministry of Defence, as the employer responsible for armed forces pensions and compensation, and the independent pensions appeal tribunal—hence the involvement of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, which is responsible for such tribunals. I hope that we shall be able to reorganise his date should that be necessary.
I welcome colleagues to the sittings of the Committee. I am looking forward to a vigorous debate. My hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Anniesland (John Robertson) has already had one attempt on Second Reading. It is always a pleasure to do battle with the hon. Member for Aldershot, and I am looking forward to that.