Tweet
13 May 2011
Last updated at 20:53 ET
The government is to enshrine in law the military covenant, the duty of care promised to armed forces members and their families, the BBC understands.
The move comes after pressure from some backbenchers, opposition MPs and the Royal British Legion.
There have been concerns over the treatment of personnel when they retire or return from active service overseas.
But it is not clear if the move would allow members of the armed forces to challenge the government in court.
The covenant itself is not currently legally binding.
It only officially applies to the Army, but its core principles are taken to extend to the air force and navy.
It states soldiers will be called upon to make personal sacrifices - including the ultimate sacrifice - and that they and their families should expect fair treatment and to be valued, respected and properly rewarded.
In practical terms, it means they should be able to be entitled to adequate housing and health care.
In opposition, Prime Minister David Cameron set up a review and expressed a wish to set out commitments on matters including compensation, education for military children and care for troops injured on the battlefield.
But when the government published the Armed Forces Bill, which is now going through Parliament, it only required ministers to give a general report on how far the covenant was being honoured.
In response, the Royal British Legion, which had been campaigning for several years for the covenant to become law, said it was "pretty depressing" and MPs calling for changes expressed disappointment.
'Broad principles' The passage of the Armed Forces Bill had been delayed, with Tory backbench MP Philip Hollobone tabling an amendment for formal recognition of the covenant.
On Monday, the prime minister is expected to announce the covenant is to be put on a statutory basis for the first time and he will formally extend it to include all members of the armed forces.
It is thought the legislation will set out some broad principles rather than pledges on specific entitlements.
It is expected to say that no member of the armed forces should be disadvantaged because of their service and that in some cases, service personnel should be given special treatment.
BBC political correspondent Ben Geoghagen said it was not known whether the legislation would enable members of the armed forces to challenge the government in the courts if they felt the covenant was not being upheld.
Powered By WizardRSS.com | Full Text RSS Feed | Amazon Plugin | Settlement Statement | WordPress Tutorials
The move comes after pressure from some backbenchers, opposition MPs and the Royal British Legion.
There have been concerns over the treatment of personnel when they retire or return from active service overseas.
But it is not clear if the move would allow members of the armed forces to challenge the government in court.
The covenant itself is not currently legally binding.
It only officially applies to the Army, but its core principles are taken to extend to the air force and navy.
It states soldiers will be called upon to make personal sacrifices - including the ultimate sacrifice - and that they and their families should expect fair treatment and to be valued, respected and properly rewarded.
In practical terms, it means they should be able to be entitled to adequate housing and health care.
In opposition, Prime Minister David Cameron set up a review and expressed a wish to set out commitments on matters including compensation, education for military children and care for troops injured on the battlefield.
But when the government published the Armed Forces Bill, which is now going through Parliament, it only required ministers to give a general report on how far the covenant was being honoured.
In response, the Royal British Legion, which had been campaigning for several years for the covenant to become law, said it was "pretty depressing" and MPs calling for changes expressed disappointment.
'Broad principles' The passage of the Armed Forces Bill had been delayed, with Tory backbench MP Philip Hollobone tabling an amendment for formal recognition of the covenant.
On Monday, the prime minister is expected to announce the covenant is to be put on a statutory basis for the first time and he will formally extend it to include all members of the armed forces.
It is thought the legislation will set out some broad principles rather than pledges on specific entitlements.
It is expected to say that no member of the armed forces should be disadvantaged because of their service and that in some cases, service personnel should be given special treatment.
BBC political correspondent Ben Geoghagen said it was not known whether the legislation would enable members of the armed forces to challenge the government in the courts if they felt the covenant was not being upheld.
Powered By WizardRSS.com | Full Text RSS Feed | Amazon Plugin | Settlement Statement | WordPress Tutorials