Armed Forces Bill

As chair of the all-party group on Army deaths, I have met my hon. Friend’s constituent when she has attended meetings of the Deepcut and Beyond families group at Westminster. One of the most important things that I and others members of that group do is to meet families who have lost their loved ones. I am sure that Mrs. Langford would be pleased were such an armed forces commissioner and ombudsman set up. I also advise my hon. Friend the Minister that Nicholas Blake says in his report that he has informally discussed the possible role of such a commissioner with commanding officers and others, and has understood that there is no objection in principle or practice to such independent oversight of the system, and nor is there concern that it will undermine military discipline. In further debate on this excellent Bill, I urge my hon. Friend to make it even better than it already is by introducing exactly such a system of independent oversight.