Armed Forces Bill — Selection of amendments: Commons: Chair’s selection and grouping of amendments for debate in Committee - 16 April 2026

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Armed Forces Bill
Chair’s selection and grouping of amendments for
debate in Committee
16 April 2026
Chair: Clive Efford
Clerks: George James, Sanjana Balakrishnan and Claire Cozens
About this paper
This paper shows —
● which amendments the Chair has selected for debate and how those amendments
have been grouped for debate; and
● which amendments have been withdrawn or not selected for debate.
Please note that the Chair can change their decision at any time.
Each numbered group in this document is a potential debate. The purpose of grouping is
to reduce repetition of subject matter between debates.
Bills and amendment papers are available in this Bill’s area on Parliament website, at
https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/4065/publications. Printed copies are available from Vote
Office outlets on the parliamentary estate.
Decisions on amendments and clauses follow the order in which they come in the Bill.
Amendments are arranged on the amendment paper to reflect that. This may not be the
same order in which they are debated.
Decisions on new clauses are usually taken after decisions on existing clauses and
schedules, even though they may be grouped for debate at an earlier stage.
Further information about selection and grouping is available to everyone at
https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/committees/general/selection-and-grouping/.

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Selection and grouping
Reserve forces
Clause 31
Group 25: 7 [Lib Dem] + Clause 31 stand part
Clauses 32 to 36 and Schedule 5
Group 26: Clause 32 stand part + 1 [Lib Dem] + 20 [Opp] + 21 [Opp] + 22 [Opp] +
23 [Opp] + 24 [Opp] + Clauses 33 to 35 stand part +
Schedule 5 stand part + Clause 36 stand part
Clause 37 and Schedule 6
Group 27: 25 [Opp] + Clause 37 stand part + Schedule 6 stand part
Parliamentary control of armed forces numbers and commitments
Clauses 38 and 39
Group 28: Clauses 38 and 39 stand part
Visiting forces
Clauses 40 and 41
Group 29: Clauses 40 and 41 stand part
Ministry of Defence Police
Clauses 42 to 44
Group 30: Clauses 42 to 44 stand part
Miscellaneous provisions
Clause 45 and Schedule 7
Group 31: Clause 45 stand part + Schedule 7 stand part
Clause 46
Group 32: Clause 46 stand part
Clause 47
Group 33: Clause 47 stand part

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Clause 48
Group 34: Clause 48 stand part
Clause 49
Group 35: Clause 49 stand part
General provisions
Clauses 50 to 55
Group 36: Clauses 50 to 55 stand part
New Clauses
Group 37: NC 3 [Lib Dem]
Group 38: NC 4 [Lib Dem] + NC 5 [Lib Dem]
Group 39: NC 8 [Opp]
Group 40: NC 9 [Opp] + NC 10 [Opp] + NC 11 [Opp] + NC 14[Opp]
Group 41: NC 13 [Opp] + NC15 [Opp]
Group 42: NC 16 [Opp]
Group 43: NC 17 [Opp]

Further groups (not yet numbered)

Amendments withdrawn or not selected
Withdrawn: n/a
Notes
Proceedings must finish by 30 April 2026

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Clause/schedule stand part debates will take place unless the Chair believes that the
principle of the clause/schedule and any matters arising have been adequately discussed
in the course of debate on amendments to the clause/schedule (Standing Order No. 68).
Groupings for later parts of the Bill (and/or for new clauses and new schedules) will be
published in advance of consideration at later sittings of this Bill Committee.