Time to protect Armed Forces from vexatious claims – Mark Eastwood

I would like to start by congratulating VetRun 180, a veterans charity based in Mirfield, on raising a significant amount of money for injured servicemen following its 13-day expedition from John O’Groats to Land’s End.

Mirfield is also home to what is reportedly the largest remembrance parade outside London, with Dewsbury not far behind and large services also held in Kirkburton and Denby Dale.

I hope that Ministers will give assurances that remembrance services, albeit with smaller numbers, can go ahead this year, so that we can show respect for the war dead and our veterans.

I am pleased that the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel And Veterans) Bill has been introduced, as it delivers on our manifesto pledge to tackle vexatious claims against armed forces personnel.

We owe it to our veterans to ensure that they are protected against these claims and that the circumstances of their judgments are taken into account.

I have seen at first hand the impact that serving in conflict zones can have on someone. When I was a teenager, a friend of mine joined the Army and went on to serve in Northern Ireland during the troubles.

Having seen his colleague and friend killed in front of him, he came home and looked a shadow of his former self, clearly affected by that traumatic experience.

As a result, he distanced himself from our friendship group and could only seek solace and comfort from his Army colleagues.

I cannot begin to imagine what my friend went through during his time in the Army, with his life constantly under threat and having to make snap decisions under extreme circumstances.

Of course, the Bill does not deal with Northern Ireland. However, I expect the Government to honour their manifesto commitments and bring forward legislation relating to Northern Ireland veterans in the not-too-distant future.

That aside, those on overseas operations will have endured similar trauma to my friends.

Such experiences can affect people’s judgment and I would be hesitant to criticise people who have made decisions in such gruelling circumstances when I have not been in such situations myself.

It is absolutely right that the Bill will ensure that such conditions are taken into account when prosecutions are considered.

I am satisfied that five years is a sufficient period within which to bring forward a prosecution.

The impact on veterans of the looming threat of court action can be horrific and they do not deserve to be hounded for many years after they have left
service.

Many of the inquiries and organisations set up to investigate allegations found little basis in the vast majority of them.

Operation Northmoor discounted 90 per cent of investigations into the allegations it received, and none were referred for prosecution.

The sort of vexatious claims that prompted many of the investigations could ruin the lives of veterans, placing an enormous burden on their mental health.

It is important to recognise that the Bill includes a presumption against prosecution, not a total exemption.

Many of the scenarios put forward by the Bill’s critics – including gruelling torture – would certainly still be dealt with, ​and rightly so.

We have a top-class military with dedicated personnel who put their lives on the line in circumstances that many of us will have little understanding of, and we owe it to them to provide the support and peace of mind that they need. That is why I fully support the Bill.

Mark Eastwood is the Conservative MP for Dewsbury. He spoke in a Commons debate on the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel And Veterans) Bill – this is an edited version.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace unveiled the legislation by saying: “The men and women of our armed forces are some of the most professional and capable people this country has. They risk their lives to keep us safe, uphold our values and support society whenever the call comes.

“I know the exceptional and often dangerous tasks that we ask them to do, and the war memorials sadly record the price of that sacrifice that they sometimes have to make.

“Our support for them should not be confined to the
occasional act of remembrance, but should be real and should recognise the things that they do in our name.”

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Thank you

James Mitchinson