The Government’s Armed Forces commissioner is expected to be in place in 2026, a defence minister told the Commons, as MPs voted in support of establishing the role.
Luke Pollard said all candidates put forward for the position, which will act as “an independent champion” for the Armed Forces, will undergo “robust scrutiny”.
The Armed Forces Commissioner Bill, which moved closer to becoming law on Tuesday after it passed its third reading, will establish the Armed Forces commissioner role and their office, replacing the Service Complaints ombudsman for the Armed Forces.
The commissioner will have the power to hear directly from service personnel and family members on the concerns connected with their service, and to investigate personal concerns as well as launch wide-ranging investigations.
They will also have the power to demand access to information and service premises to facilitate investigations, and visits can be unannounced if they are in the UK.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Pollard said it is the Government’s “intention” to have a commissioner in place in 2026, adding the Bill “includes powers for the Secretary of State to appoint interim roles, should the full appointment process be not complete at that point”.
“So unlike with the powers afforded to the current Service Complaints ombudsman, where if there is a vacancy in that office, the ability of that organisation to function is greatly restricted, we’ve learnt from that and provided powers to ensure that the work of the Armed Forces Commissioner can continue in the absence of a permanent Armed Forces commissioner being in place,” he said.
He continued: “We expect robust scrutiny of any candidate that the Secretary of State puts forward for this role.”
Conservative MP Lincoln Jopp said he was wary the Bill could become a “hindrance” if Britain were ever at war, because of an increased amount of bureaucracy the Commissioner will create.
The Spelthorne MP, who served as a colonel in the British Army, said he was a supporter of the Bill, but a “critical friend”.
He added: “I think that it is important for people listening to this debate and referring to these proceedings at a later time, that they realise that utterly untrammelled, these things will generate a bureaucracy all of their own. We do not wish this to be a good idea that you have in peacetime, which becomes a massive hindrance as we approach a period of conflict.”
Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson Helen Maguire called for the Armed Forces commissioner’s remit to extend to those applying to join the Armed Forces, so that support is available at the “very start of their journey”.
She said: “Recruits can be asked to stay on bases overnight and we cannot ignore that they may encounter issues during these trips. It is essential to understand these issues to retain these recruits, as many currently drop out.
“We assume this is due to the long waits they are currently experiencing but it may also stem from issues we are unaware of. This new clause would ensure that support was available at the very start of their journey into the Armed Forces, not just after they sign on the dotted line.”
At the Bill’s third reading, Mr Pollard said: “An independent Armed Forces commissioner is the champion we need to improve service life and service personnel and their families.”
He added that the commissioner will have discretion on which welfare issues to investigate, saying: “Our intention is that the commissioner will act as an independent champion for the Armed Forces and hold this Government and future governments to account.
“They will challenge ministers, strengthen parliamentary oversight, and raise awareness of the issues facing our Armed Forces.”
Mr Pollard also said: “This Bill is tightly drawn to focus on those who are currently serving and their families. This is we believe, looking at the continuous attitude surveys, where the crisis that we are facing in retention, and recruitment, and morale actually is.”
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge raised concerns that changes to inheritance tax will negatively impact members of the Armed Forces.
He said: “We hope he has written to the Treasury, that they listen to his advice, and that they cancel this proposal.”
Mr Pollard had previously said inheritance tax is a matter for the Treasury.
The Conservative former minister also said the Government’s decision to impose VAT on private school fees will impact Armed Forces families who rely on them for “stability”.
He added: “We have received many emails from serving personnel, people in the army, navy and air force today, who are extremely concerned (about) the impact on them, and having to weigh up their future.”
The Bill will undergo further scrutiny in the House of Lords at a later date.
