Armed forces
This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on the armed forces. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.
Standard Notes
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 28.02.2013 | Defence employment: Social Indicators page |
| A summary of statistics on defence employment. | |
| 20.02.2013 | Parliamentary Approval for Deploying the Armed Forces: An Update |
| 15.02.2013 | Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones): an introduction |
| This note provides an introduction to the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) by the UK Armed Forces, more commonly known as drones. | |
| 13.02.2013 | In brief: UK withdrawal from Afghanistan |
| The number of British troops in Afghanistan will be reduced from 9,000 to 5,200 by the end of 2013. | |
| 05.02.2013 | The crisis in Mali: current military action and upholding humanitarian law |
| This note describes the current military intervention in Mali, led by France, which began on 11 January as a reaction to the southward advance of militant Islamist armed groups with links to al-Qaeda. It also looks at the intervention in the context of upholding humanitarian law. |
Research Papers
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 26.07.2012 | Olympic Britain |
| Olympic Britain tells the story of the profound economic and social change in the UK since the two previous London Olympics, in 1908 and 1948, using statistics and expert analysis. The book can also be browsed using the Parliament website at www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/olympic-britain/ | |
| 15.11.2011 | The Arab Uprisings |
| Since December 2010, the most profound process of change has affected the countries of the Arab world. The change spread quickly between the countries of the region, underlining the many common factors that provoked unrest. How the region's revolutions progress, however, depends on the individual characteristics of each country, which are very different. This paper looks at these similarities and differences and considers the possible outcomes in each case. The legitimacy of ruling regimes, the effect of societies' divisions along confessional lines and the role of the region's militaries are considered. | |
| 17.12.2010 | Armed Forces Bill [Bill 122 of 2010-11] |
| The purpose of the Armed Forces Bill is to provide the legal basis for the Armed Forces and the system of military law which exists in the UK. It also offers an opportunity to make necessary amendments, such as those required by changes to civilian law in the UK or as a result of cases brought before the European Court of Human Rights. The Bill has also been used, on occasion, to introduce new measures relating to the Armed Forces that fall outside the Bill's traditional remit. | |
| 24.04.2009 | Russia's Military Posture |
| This paper examines Russia's current military posture. It does not attempt to be a comprehensive examination of every aspect of Russian military policy but is intended as an introduction to some of the more pertinent aspects, including Russia's military capabilities, its ability to defend its increasingly diverse strategic interests and the credibility of Russia's modernisation and rearmament programme which was announced toward the end of 2008. | |
| 27.11.2008 | Parliamentary Approval for Deploying the Armed Forces: An introduction to the issues. |
| Parliamentary Approval for Deploying the Armed Forces: An introduction to the issues. This paper examines the debate on the Royal prerogative and parliamentary approval for the deployment of the Armed Forces. |
Select Committee Reports
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 11.06.2011 | Legislative scrutiny: Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Bill; Armed Forces Bill. |
| Human Rights Joint Select Committee report [Commons and Lords] | |
| 10.05.2011 | Legislative scrutiny: Armed Forces Bill. |
| Human Rights Joint Select Committee report [Commons and Lords] | |
| 15.12.2010 | Treasury Minutes on the the Public Accounts Committee, first and second reports of session 2010-11 (HC... |
| Government response. Public Accounts Committee report [Commons] | |
| 27.07.2010 | MoD annual report and accounts 2008-09. |
| Government response. Defence Select Committee; Ministry of Defence report [Commons] | |
| 06.04.2010 | Readiness and recuperation of the Armed Forces: looking towards the Strategic Defence Review. |
| Government response. Defence Select Committee report [Commons] |
Early Day Motions
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 08.02.2012 | SERVICE PERSONNEL |
| That this House recognises the bravery of Flight Lieutenant Wales as air and sea rescue pilot and his fellow service personnel in their posting to the Falkland Islands; thanks them, ... | |
| 13.12.2011 | QUEEN'S JUBILEE MEDAL AND ST JOHN AMBULANCE |
| That this House welcomes the Queen's Jubilee Medal which will honour those serving in the UK's armed forces and emergency services who risk their lives in support of the public; but ... | |
| 07.12.2011 | ARMED FORCES PAY |
| That this House notes the Government's announcements on limiting Armed Forces' pay; is concerned about the impact this will have on the living standards and morale of the UK's forces ... | |
| 21.11.2011 | SWANSEA, DEMOCRACY AND THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR |
| That this House recognises the courage of all those who served in the International Brigades defending Spanish democracy during 1936 to 1938; welcomes the memorial to be unveiled on ... | |
| 07.11.2011 | REPRESENTATION OF BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORIES AND CROWN DEPENDENCIES ON REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY |
| That this House calls on Her Majesty's Government to recognise the enormous contribution made by members of Her Majesty's Armed Services from each of the British Overseas Territories ... |
POST Papers
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 01.12.2006 | Military uses of space, December 2006 |
| Military uses of space, December 2006. POSTnote 06/273. |
