Armed Forces commissioner expected to be in place in 2026, defence minister says
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The Government’s Armed Forces commissioner is expected to be in place in 2026, a defence minister told the Commons, as MPs voted in support of establishing the role. Luke Pollard said all candidates put forward for the position, which will act as “an independent champion” for the Armed Forces, will undergo “robust scrutiny”.
The Armed Forces Commissioner Bill, which moved closer to becoming law on Tuesday after it passed its third reading, will establish the Armed Forces commissioner role and their office, replacing the Service Complaints ombudsman for the Armed Forces. The commissioner will have the power to hear directly from service personnel and family members on the concerns connected with their service, and to investigate personal concerns as well as launch wide-ranging investigations.
They will also have the power to demand access to information and service premises to facilitate investigations, and visits can be unannounced if they are in the UK. Speaking in the Commons, Mr Pollard said it is the Government’s “intention” to have a commissioner in place in 2026, adding the Bill “includes powers for the Secretary of State to appoint interim roles, should the full appointment process be not complete at that point”.
“So unlike with the powers afforded to the current Service Complaints ombudsman, where if there is a vacancy in that office, the ability of that organisation to function is greatly restricted, we’ve learnt from that and provided powers to ensure that the work of the Armed Forces Commissioner can continue in the absence of a permanent Armed Forces commissioner being in place,” he said.
