Well, Dr McCrea—[Hon. Members: ““Give way!””] Go on then, why not?

Well, Dr McCrea—[Hon. Members: ““Give way!””] Go on then, why not?

May I help the hon. Lady?

May I help the hon. Lady?

I congratulate the coalition Government on bringing forward the armed forces covenant. I served throughout the Committee—

I congratulate the coalition Government on bringing forward the armed forces covenant. I served throughout the Committee—

Will the hon. Lady give way?

Will the hon. Lady give way?

I should at least like to finish my sentence if that is all right. New clause 17 would fully enshrine the principles of the covenant in law, not half-heartedly but unambiguously.

I should at least like to finish my sentence if that is all right. New clause 17 would fully enshrine the principles of the covenant in law, not half-heartedly but unambiguously.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his support. Our amendments do not seek to introduce new constraints to prevent the Secretary of State from using his discretion in preparing the report. They do not try to prejudge in detail exactly which subjects will be relevant—unlike, I fear, several...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his support. Our amendments do not seek to introduce new constraints to prevent the Secretary of State from using his discretion in preparing the report. They do not try to prejudge in detail exactly which subjects will be relevant—unlike, I fear, several...

Does my right hon. Friend think that this is rather rich coming from Labour Members, and certainly from the hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones)? Having had 13 long years with the time, the majorities and the money to introduce a Bill, they merely produced a Green Paper, whereas...

Does my right hon. Friend think that this is rather rich coming from Labour Members, and certainly from the hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones)? Having had 13 long years with the time, the majorities and the money to introduce a Bill, they merely produced a Green Paper, whereas...

If Members have come in at the behest of the Whips because they expect a Division, they might as well go out for a bit longer, because I have a lot more to say that will delay the Division. They are very wise to do so. New clause 4, which...

If Members have come in at the behest of the Whips because they expect a Division, they might as well go out for a bit longer, because I have a lot more to say that will delay the Division. They are very wise to do so. New clause 4, which...

I do not regret the process at all. What has happened—I would have thought that the hon. Lady had spotted this, because she is a capable person—is that we have been discussing and listening to things and came to the view that we might enhance the Bill, which is what...

I do not regret the process at all. What has happened—I would have thought that the hon. Lady had spotted this, because she is a capable person—is that we have been discussing and listening to things and came to the view that we might enhance the Bill, which is what...

Does the right hon. Gentleman regret the process by which the Bill has come about? What exactly changed his mind?

Does the right hon. Gentleman regret the process by which the Bill has come about? What exactly changed his mind?

Contrary to what the hon. Lady says from a sedentary position—perhaps she is reading what is on her BlackBerry—it is not chaos. Those other organisations are as concerned as the Government are to avoid the pitfalls of the covenant ending up in the courts. They have also pointed out where...

Contrary to what the hon. Lady says from a sedentary position—perhaps she is reading what is on her BlackBerry—it is not chaos. Those other organisations are as concerned as the Government are to avoid the pitfalls of the covenant ending up in the courts. They have also pointed out where...

Chaos.

Chaos.

The hon. Gentleman, together with the hon. Member for West Dunbartonshire, is continuing to fish for any minor criticisms that he can make. We have listened to what people have said and responded, and they might welcome that rather than carping at it.

The hon. Gentleman, together with the hon. Member for West Dunbartonshire, is continuing to fish for any minor criticisms that he can make. We have listened to what people have said and responded, and they might welcome that rather than carping at it.

So why did the Minister, along with his Liberal Democrat colleagues, argue forcefully in Committee on numerous occasions that the Bill as it then stood enshrined the covenant in law, when clearly it did not?

So why did the Minister, along with his Liberal Democrat colleagues, argue forcefully in Committee on numerous occasions that the Bill as it then stood enshrined the covenant in law, when clearly it did not?

Well, one is that the amendment, no doubt with the best of intentions, describes in more detail the subjects to be covered in the covenant report. As drafted, clause 2 requires the Secretary of State to address accommodation, health care, including mental health care, and education. We have included those...

Well, one is that the amendment, no doubt with the best of intentions, describes in more detail the subjects to be covered in the covenant report. As drafted, clause 2 requires the Secretary of State to address accommodation, health care, including mental health care, and education. We have included those...

I'm looking forward to it.

I'm looking forward to it.

The hon. Gentleman talks about the ““forward thing””, but we have to do the sums, and I am afraid his maths is obviously not very good. If he does not believe that the Ministry of Defence is short of money, he is wrong. The Opposition's amendment 16 represents a further...

The hon. Gentleman talks about the ““forward thing””, but we have to do the sums, and I am afraid his maths is obviously not very good. If he does not believe that the Ministry of Defence is short of money, he is wrong. The Opposition's amendment 16 represents a further...

I am sorry, but if the Minister reads the NAO report, he will see that it states that the figure is between £6 billion and £37 billion. The only way we can get to the £37 billion figure is if we include all the forward programming for the forward thing....

I am sorry, but if the Minister reads the NAO report, he will see that it states that the figure is between £6 billion and £37 billion. The only way we can get to the £37 billion figure is if we include all the forward programming for the forward thing....

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

I do not think the hon. Gentleman needs to offer to do that. That is a bit sexist, if you ask me, but there we go. The hon. Member for West Dunbartonshire asked earlier from a sedentary position where we got the idea from that there was a £38 billion...

I do not think the hon. Gentleman needs to offer to do that. That is a bit sexist, if you ask me, but there we go. The hon. Member for West Dunbartonshire asked earlier from a sedentary position where we got the idea from that there was a £38 billion...