Clause 1 - Pension and compensation schemes: armed and reserve forces

Part of Armed Forces (Pensions and Compensation) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 2:45 pm on 3 February 2004.

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Photo of Gerald Howarth Gerald Howarth Shadow Minister (Defence) 2:45, 3 February 2004

There are fewer gunships under this lot than under Palmerston, so the Minister will not be keen to take that as a precedent for wider publication outside the Room. It may suit him to have limited debate and unfettered powers, but I do not believe that he will pray in aid the precedent of the Naval and Marine Pay and Pensions Act 1865. The Committee might be interested to know that on the day on which that Bill went through the House without debate, so did the Trespass (Scotland) Act 1865. I have not yet done the research to find out what that Act was about; it was probably about keeping the English out. No doubt the hon. Member for Glasgow, Anniesland will be keen to brief us on that.