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Proceeding contribution from Viscount Slim (Crossbench) in the House of Lords on Thursday, 31 January 2008. It occurred during Debate on War Powers and Treaties.


War Powers and Treaties

My Lords, I thank the Minister for allowing me to say a few words in the gap. I will not detain your Lordships long. I wish to refer to the Special Forces. They do jobs of strategic significance; they are commanded at the very highest level; they are of interest to a crisis Cabinet or a war Cabinet. They are often deployed before a war or crisis starts and I do not think that they should be muddled up in the business of parliamentary discussion or views. That can come, as has been said by the noble Lord, Lord Janvrin, in his excellent speech, in the wash-up afterwards. Will the Minister therefore ask his colleagues whether, within the convention and the royal prerogative, the Special Forces cannot have some special treatment so that they are not poured into the whole pot of the military? I hope that the Minister will take note of my words and that something will happen.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
698 c786 
Session
2007-08
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
Armed forces Armed conflict Deployment British constitution International law Powers Parliamentary scrutiny Military alliances Treaties Royal prerogative
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk