Armed Forces Bill: Commons Committee stage
16 December 2015 (updated on 16 December 2015)
MPs will consider the Armed Forces Bill in a Committee of the whole House on Wednesday 16 December.
The debate is expected to start today at approximately 2.30pm, following the conclusion of the Ten Minute Rule Motion Representation of the People (Proportional Representation) (House of Commons).
Timings are approximate as Parliamentary business is subject to change.
- Watch the Committee of the Whole House debate of the Armed Forces Bill live on Parliament TV
- Read the Order of Business for the clauses to be considered in Committee today
- Read current Parliamentary material in Topics: Armed Forces
Transcripts of proceedings in the House of Commons Chamber are available three hours after they happen in Today’s Commons Debates.
Related information
Summary of the Armed Forces Bill
A Bill to continue the Armed Forces Act 2006; to make provision about service discipline; to make provision about Ministry of Defence fire-fighters; and for connected purposes.
An Armed Forces Bill is required every five years in order to continue in force the provisions of the current Service legislation relating to Service discipline, and to make any amendments.
Progress of the Bill
The Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on 16 September 2015. This is known as the First Reading and there was no debate on the Bill at this stage.
Second Reading was on 15 October 2015.
Keep up to date with all the proceedings and documentation, including amendment papers, on the Armed Forces Bill and find out how a Bill becomes an Act of Parliament.
The Bill will now be considered by a Committee of the whole House. The first sitting will be on Wednesday 16 December.
Keep up to date with all the proceedings and documentation, including amendment papers on the Armed Forces Bill and find out how a Bill becomes an Act of Parliament.
House of Commons Library analysis
The House of Commons Library produces briefing papers to inform MPs of key issues. The papers contain factual information and a range of opinions on each subject, and aim to be politically impartial. The Library has published the following briefing papers for the Committee stage.
What happens at a Committee of the Whole House?
When a Bill passes its Second Reading and is considered in detailed, this usually takes place in a Public Bill Committee held outside the Chamber and made up of between 16 and 20 MPs.
Occasionally a Bill will be considered by a Committee of the whole House and this discussion takes place in the Chamber itself, where all MPs can take part.
Any Bill can be referred to a Committee of the whole House, but the procedure is normally reserved for finance Bills and other important or controversial legislation.
What happens next?
After Committee stage the Bill will be considered at Report and Third Reading stages over two days, on dates to be confirmed.
Watching proceedings from the public gallery
UK residents and overseas visitors can watch proceedings in the House of Commons by visiting the public gallery.
This article was produced by the Commons Digital Outreach Team. Follow the @HouseofCommons on Twitter for updates on the UK House of Commons Chamber.