The Armed Forces Commissioner is the first in a series of steps that will be taken by the new Government to improve Service life and renew the contract between the nation and those who serve.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Armed Forces Commissioner will be a direct point of contact for Service personnel and their families to raise issues which impact on service life.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Armed Forces Commissioner will have the power to investigate individual complaints and to proactively launch independent reviews into issues affecting Service personnel and their families more widely, and to lay those reports before Parliament. The new Commissioner will have a right of access to information, sites and personnel in order to fulfil their role. The Commissioner will incorporate the functions currently undertaken by the Service Complaints Ombudsman.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Armed Forces Commissioner will strengthen Parliamentary oversight of issues facing our Armed Forces personnel and their families. The Commissioner will be subject to pre-appointment scrutiny by the Defence Select Committee and will report directly to Parliament, not ministers, via an annual report.<\/p>
<\/p>
There will be opportunities to debate all aspects of the role, remit and operation of Armed Forces Commissioner when the Government brings forward the Legislation outlined in the King\u2019s Speech. Details on budget, pay, grade, staffing and office location will be set out in due course.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4682", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Luke Pollard"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Plymouth Sutton and Devonport"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Luke Pollard"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-07-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "172"} , {"_value" : "175"} , {"_value" : "176"} , {"_value" : "177"} , {"_value" : "178"} , {"_value" : "180"} , {"_value" : "559"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-07-25T16:53:40.847Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Armed Forces: Public Appointments"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the new Armed Forces Commissioner to be appointed.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "James Cartlidge"} ], "uin" : "173"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1667773", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1667773/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
This information is not centrally held by the Department, however we are aware of two roles which fall into this category.<\/p>
In line with central guidance, direct appointments can be made to short-term, advisory roles, for example to lead a government review or to advise on, or champion, a specific subject. The name and purpose of a role can vary, but each appointee is provided with terms of appointment which set out their key responsibilities.<\/p>
Direct appointees are office holders. There is no contract of employment, and the expectation is that such roles are unpaid. However, in limited circumstances, if the Permanent Secretary/Accounting Officer is content, then reasonable remuneration (in line with current policy on pay levels) may be payable.<\/p>
When selecting an appointee (for a direct appointment), Ministers will consider what they want the role to achieve, which is set out in a draft terms of reference document. In light of this, high level criteria for the skills and experience required for an individual to do the role are developed. Appropriate due diligence checks are carried out by the department and consideration given to any conflicts of interest with the role and whether/how these can be managed.<\/p>
Direct appointments are not public appointments (which are made by ministers to non-executive roles on the bodies and offices listed in an Order in Council<\/a> and therefore the process and principles of the Governance Code<\/a> do not apply. Neither do these appointments fall under the remit of the independent Commissioner for Public Appointments.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4503", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Philp"}
}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Philp"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "171"}
, {"_value" : "172"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-15T15:28:17.707Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Home Office: Consultants"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recruitment process her Department follows for the appointment of independent consultants to provide personal briefings for Ministers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4006", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hendon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Matthew Offord"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1461575", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1461575/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " No.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4369", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Pursglove"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Corby"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Tom Pursglove"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-05-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-05-16T14:23:23.493Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-05-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Deportation: Jamaica"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will cancel the deportation flight to Jamaica scheduled for 18 May 2022; make it her policy to halt any further mass deportation flights from the UK; and if she will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3930", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Lucas"}
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, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Brighton, Pavilion"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Caroline Lucas"}
], "uin" : "173"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1313164", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1313164/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " In England, the Care, Education and Treatment Review policy sets out an expectation that local commissioners hold a database to identify people with a learning disability, autism or both with a particular requirement to identify those who are at risk of an admission to mental health inpatient care. This may be known as a dynamic support register or dynamic risk register. Commissioners are tasked with holding the local database and keeping this information with support from those in the education, care and health partners and community teams to identify those who are at risk of admission.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4527", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Whately"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Faversham and Mid Kent"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Helen Whately"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-05-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1313164/answer/previousversion/404", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4527", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Whately"}
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, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Faversham and Mid Kent"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Helen Whately"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-05-18T09:48:22.223Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-05-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Autism: Children"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure local health, care and education services are able to share records to identify autistic children at risk of being admitted to inpatient mental health services.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1588", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Keeley"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Worsley and Eccles South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Barbara Keeley"}
], "uin" : "173"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168311", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1168311/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " There is currently no provision to transfer proxy votes between people. Emergency proxy votes are granted in limited circumstances, to maintain the integrity of the electoral process. The Government has announced it will consider the process of emergency proxy applications and the circumstances in which they can be issued, when time allows.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1609", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chloe Smith"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Norwich North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chloe Smith"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-09T14:18:27.353Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-12-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Proxy Voting"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to review the criteria for transferring a proxy vote from one person to another in the case of an emergency.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4511", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ealing Central and Acton"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Rupa Huq"}
], "uin" : "173"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148781", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1148781/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The government uses Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) to encourage the take-up of vehicles with low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to help meet our legally binding climate change targets. Transport is the largest sector for UK greenhouse gas emissions (27%), of which road transport accounts for over 90%.<\/p> <\/p> Whilst the Government recognises the concerns of the leisure industry, tax is only one of many factors impacting purchasing decisions. Like all taxes, the Government is keeping the VED treatment of motorhomes under review. Any changes will be considered by the Chancellor and announced at fiscal events.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4655", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Simon Clarke"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-22T11:20:59.09Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Motorhomes: Excise Duties"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 9 September 2019 to Question 284157, what assessment he has made of the economic effect on the UK motorhome industry of reclassifying motorhomes as cars for tax purposes.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4243", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Jarvis"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Jarvis"}
], "uin" : "173"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/731320", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/731320/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " There is no agreed timetable for action by the EU.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4098", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Suffolk Coastal"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Thérèse Coffey"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-06-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-06-28T15:59:02.73Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-06-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Microplastics"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the timetable is for the EU to agree a ban on microbeads.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
], "uin" : "173"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/346998", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/346998/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government will increase the amount of free childcare available to working parents of three- and four-year-olds to 30 hours per week in 2017.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3980", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Sam Gyimah"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Surrey"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Sam Gyimah"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-06-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-06-02T11:37:02.74Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-05-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Daycare"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to extend free childcare for working parents.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4473", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Louise Haigh"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Louise Haigh"}
], "uin" : "173"}
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