09 Apr 26. Armed Forces Bill Committee continues with line-by-line scrutiny of the bill
The Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill will continue with line-by-line scrutiny of the Armed Forces Bill. This week’s sessions are likely to focus on aspects of the bill covering the Service Justice and Reserves measures.
Session will take place on:
- Tuesday 14 April, 09:25
- Tuesday 14 April, 14:00
- Thursday 16 April, 11:30
- Tuesday 16 April, 14:00
The evidence sessions will be broadcast on Parliament Live from their respective start times.
27 Mar 26. Report: Pre-appointment hearing: Armed Forces Commissioner
Defence Committee endorses interim appointment of Polly Miller-Perkins as Armed Forces Commissioner.
The Defence Committee has recommended the Secretary of State for Defence proceed with the appointment of his preferred candidate for Armed Forces Commissioner, Polly Miller-Perkins.
The cross-party report follows an evidence session with Ms Miller-Perkins held on Wednesday. It includes a summary of Ms Miller-Perkins’s curriculum vitae, details on the recruitment process and background to the role. Ms Miller-Perkins is expected to take up the role on an interim basis for one year from April 2026, as a direct appointment without competition. A previous full and open recruitment process was unsuccessful in appointing a candidate. The Ministry of Defence has announced its intention to re-run that process shortly.
Pre-appointment hearings are held by select committees for certain key public appointments before the appointment is formally made. The hearings assess the candidate’s suitability for the post. They are usually followed by a report that either supports the appointment or raises concerns.
Chair of the Defence Committee, Tan Dhesi MP, said: “During our hearing with Polly earlier this week, she made clear her personal independence and commitment to transparency, as well as her care for the welfare of Service personnel and their families.
“While we were impressed by Polly herself, the recruitment process did not proceed as originally planned, and she has been appointed without the assurance of an open and competitive appointment process involving a strong element of independent assessment. It is for this reason that she has been appointed for an interim term of one year, and for this reason that we expect to be offered a further pre-appointment hearing whether she or another candidate is successful in the full recruitment process, when this is repeated.
“The success of the Armed Forces Commissioner depends on being visibly independent. They will need to be able to hold Ministers and the Chain of Command to account without fear or favour.
“The Committee look forward to welcoming Polly before us again as the new Commissioner.”