This Lords Library briefing has been prepared in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Armed Forces (Flexible Working) Bill on 11 July 2017.
Armed Forces (Flexible Working) Bill (2 MB , PDF)
The Armed Forces (Flexible Working) Bill would make provision for members of the Armed Forces to work part-time or to restrict the amount of time they spend separated from their normal place of work. In the background briefing to the Queen’s Speech, the Government stated that the purpose of this Bill is to “support recruitment and retention in the Armed Forces”.
Clause 1of the Bill would amend section 329 of the Armed Forces Act 2006, which addresses the terms and conditions of enlistment and service. Clause 2 covers amendments to other acts resulting from the Bill, ensuring that anyone benefitting from the working arrangements provided for in the Bill would be automatically excluded from jury service, a protection which currently only applies to full-time members of the regular Armed Forces.
The government-prepared briefing on the Bill states that the Government expects to introduce the changes by April 2019.
The Armed Forces (Flexible Working) Bill was introduced in the House of Lords on 28 June 2017 and is scheduled for second reading on 11 July 2017.
Armed Forces (Flexible Working) Bill (2 MB , PDF)
The ‘Strategic defence review 2025’ (SDR) was published on 2 June 2025. Contending that the UK faces a generational defence and security challenge, the SDR makes 62 recommendations across the armed forces and wider society to meet this threat. The government has pledged to implement all those recommendations. However, critics question where the resources to meet the requirements of the SDR will come from, despite government pledges to raise defence spending levels.
The Chagos Archipelago has been the subject of a long-standing dispute over its sovereignty between the UK and Mauritius. Having been retained by the UK since 1965, the largest island, Diego Garcia, later became the site of a joint UK-US military base. In May 2025, the UK reached an agreement to transfer sovereignty of the islands back to Mauritius, while maintaining an initial 99-year lease of Diego Garcia. The agreement also includes security and financial provisions.
2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day and Victory over Japan Day, events which in 1945 brought an end to the second world war. On those days 80 years ago, celebrations erupted across Britain. However, world leaders and domestic politicians were aware of the numerous problems still to be tackled, such as reconstruction, demobilisation and the legacy of the development and use of the atomic bomb.
