---

Armed Forces Bill

My Lords, We, too, welcome the amendment. The Minister wrote to me on 23 October to explain how he had taken on board my concerns expressed in Committee about the narrowness of the inaccurate certification clause. I am pleased that he has brought forward these amendments, which will allow the regime of certification to meet future challenges. However, the annexe to the Minister’s letter stated, however, that the situation remained that testing and checking of all land equipment did not involve a formal certification procedure and that such a procedure would not be practical or useful. I understand that the Minister believes that he needs to look at the issue on a case-by-case basis, and that is important, but the letter gave the impression of there being closed minds within the land systems staff. As the services work more closely together, they need to pick up best practice from each other. Lives depend as much on proper servicing and checking of audit systems on land as on the sea and in the air, where the services have been more practised in that. I welcome these amendments, but perhaps the Minister might wish to keep an eye on this matter, outside the confines of the Bill.