Independent champion for the Armed Forces one step closer as Commissioner Bill introduced

In the next step of this government's commitment to improving service life, the government has introduced the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill today – the first ever independent champion for serving personnel and their families.

The bill introduced today, which was included in The King's Speech in July, is the first step in legislating for the brand-new role which is welcomed by serving personnel.

The Commissioner will be a direct point of contact for serving personnel and their families to raise issues which impact service life, from equipment to housing and unacceptable behaviours.

With powers to visit defence sites unannounced and commission reports, the Commissioner will hold defence to account and drive improvements to service life. The Commissioner will report to Parliament through annual and one-off thematic reports.  

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

“Defence is central to the future security and success of the nation. This government will always stand up for those who serve our country, and our Armed Forces will always have our fullest support.

“The Armed Forces Commissioner will champion serving personnel and their families who make great sacrifices to help keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad.”

The new role, a manifesto commitment, acknowledges need for change to better support serving personnel and follows the largest pay rise for Armed Forces in over 20 years. Recruitment reforms have also taken place to scrap outdated policies and make the process more straightforward for those who wish to join the military.

The Commissioner will be appointed once legislation is complete. Once in post, the Commissioner will incorporate the functions currently undertaken by the Service Complaints Ombudsman Commissioner whose remit is too narrow and reactive. The Ombudsman can only investigate individual complaints after the Service Complaints Process has finished.

The Armed Forces Commissioner is an important part of this government's commitment to renew our nation's contract with those who serve, because the strength of our defence lies in the serving men and women of our forces.