Armed Forces Commissioner Bill Report Stage: Amendment 2

On 21 January 2025, the House of Commons voted on Amendment 2 to the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill at Report Stage. The amendment, tabled by Liberal Democrat MP Helen Maguire, would have required the Commissioner to publish annual reports outlining steps being taken to support minority groups within the armed forces. The amendment was defeated by 349 votes to 76. The Armed Forces Commissioner Bill creates a new independent role to advocate for the welfare of service personnel and their families, replacing the existing Service Complaints Ombudsman with a broader remit. Amendment 2 sought to build in a specific accountability mechanism on equality and diversity, with proponents arguing it would help the armed forces meet targets such as women making up 30% of recruits by 2030. The Government and its supporters opposed making the Commissioner's reporting requirements prescriptive, arguing that the Commissioner should have full independence to determine their own priorities rather than having Parliament dictate the focus of their work. A public sector equality duty under the Equality Act 2010 already applies to the Commissioner, which opponents of the amendment cited as sufficient existing protection. The vote divided almost entirely along party lines. Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs voted unanimously against the amendment, providing the large majority needed to defeat it. The Liberal Democrats voted unanimously in favour, with 63 of their MPs supporting the change. Plaid Cymru and the Green Party also backed the amendment, while the Democratic Unionist Party, Traditional Unionist Voice, and one independent MP voted against. The Conservative Party did not vote on this specific amendment, reflecting their stance as a self-described "critical friend" to the Bill rather than outright opponents. The Bill itself commands cross-party support in principle, but the Liberal Democrats used Report Stage to press for a more expansive and structurally independent Commissioner than the Government proposed.