Today the Defence Committee launches an inquiry into the Armed
Forces Covenant.
The Armed Forces Covenant is a statement of the moral obligation
which exists between the nation, the Government and the Armed
Forces – its core principles were enshrined in law by the Armed
Forces Act 2011.
According to the Covenant, the Government, working with the chain
of command, has a particular responsibility of care towards
members of the Armed Forces, including a responsibility to
maintain an organisation that treats every individual fairly,
with dignity and respect, and an environment which is free from
bullying, harassment and discrimination. The Covenant also states
the importance of supporting the transition from Service to
civilian life.
This inquiry will examine how well the Covenant is serving the
Armed Forces community, where it is failing them and why. It will
examine how the scope of the Covenant might be extended. The
Government has indicated that changes to the Covenant could be
introduced as part of the Armed Forces Bill in the next
Parliamentary session, and the inquiry will be an opportunity to
influence this legislation.
The Committee has written to the Secretary of State to request
that Serving personnel be allowed to submit evidence to this
inquiry based on their personal experiences. The Committee will
issue an update to this notice once a reply to this request has
been received.
The deadline for written evidence submissions
is Friday 24 January 2025.
Chair of the Defence Committee, MP, said:
“Service personnel and their families make immense sacrifices for
our nation's defence. Their bravery and dedication keep us safe.
It is only right that we respect them for this.
“The Armed Forces Covenant Act is an expression of Government's
commitment to treat each member of the Armed Forces with
fairness, dignity and respect. But these can't just be words on a
page, and this inquiry will investigate whether the Covenant is
working as intended and making a genuine positive difference to
the experiences of the Armed Forces community, both within the
Forces and in wider society.
“This inquiry will examine where the Covenant is failing
personnel and why, and how the Covenant might be extended and
strengthened. We want the evidence we receive during this inquiry
to be powerful and influential when the Government asks
Parliament to legislate on the Covenant next year.”
The Committee welcomes written evidence
on:
· In what areas
is the Armed Forces Covenant working well?
· Where is the
Armed Forces Covenant failing the Armed Forces Community?
o What are the main causes for these
failings?
· Are there areas
which the Armed Forces Covenant ought to be extended to, and
why?
o If so, which are the priority areas?
· What
legislative changes should be made and why?
· What impact
would the extension of the Armed Forces Covenant legal duty to
central government and devolved administrations have?
