Clause 1 - Pension and compensation schemes: armed and reserve forces
Armed Forces (Pensions and Compensation) Bill
2:45 pm
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot, Conservative)
May I say that the way in which the amendments are laid out on the selection list indicates the problems that all hon. Members, as parliamentarians, have had with the Bill, which is an enabling measure with little for us to discuss? That criticism has been raised across the House. This is not a partisan issue, and I fully expect concern from all parties in this Committee. I do not expect the debate to be dominated by Opposition Members. I suspect that the hon. Member for Falkirk, West (Mr. Joyce), who was a beneficiary of the scheme and will no doubt be experienced in these matters, will want to express his view. The hon. Member for Glasgow, Anniesland spoke movingly in the House on Second Reading.
I believe that on both sides of the Committee there will be concerns that the Government have drafted a Bill with very little in it. We have therefore tabled various amendments designed to write the Government's two framework documents on pensions and compensation into the Bill in the form of new schedules 3 and 4. If it is not out of order, Mr. O'Brien, may I thank the Public Bill Office team for its assistance in enabling us to do so?
Without the amendments, there would be very little for us to debate. Everyone has expressed concern that this is an extremely important issue that affects us all. We all have constituents who are beneficiaries of the scheme and others who are putting their lives on the line for our country. These are not dry and dull matters, but are of very immediate concern to every Member of Parliament. There was a difficulty, however, in that we could not debate anything without tabling the amendments, and without the new schedules in particular.