Overview

This bill aims to increase parliamentary oversight of UK military actions. It requires parliamentary approval for declarations of war and for deployments of UK armed forces overseas lasting longer than 60 days, except in specific circumstances.

Description

The bill introduces two key provisions:

Declarations of War

The bill requires a resolution from the House of Commons to declare war, along with a debate in the House of Lords. This ensures both houses of parliament are involved in the decision to enter a state of war.

Deployment of Armed Forces

The deployment of UK armed forces overseas is permitted only under specific circumstances: for UK defence; to protect UK citizens and interests; to fulfill treaty obligations; to respond to humanitarian crises; or under a UN Security Council resolution. Deployments exceeding 60 days, for reasons other than UK defence, treaty obligations or UN mandates, require the approval of the House of Commons through a specific resolution.

A statement detailing the purpose and extent of any deployment must be presented to both houses of parliament within 60 days of commencement.

Government Spending

The bill does not directly specify any changes to government spending. The potential financial impact will depend on the future deployment of troops and the specific circumstances requiring their use. No figures are provided in the bill itself.

Groups Affected

The bill will affect several groups:

• Parliament: Grants increased powers and responsibilities in decisions related to war and military deployments.
• Government: Requires additional consultation with Parliament before committing armed forces overseas or declaring war.
• Armed forces: Their deployment may be subject to parliamentary approval in certain circumstances.
• UK citizens: Greater parliamentary scrutiny of military actions could indirectly influence their safety and security.

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