Armed Forces Commissioner Act: stages, votes and documents
The Armed Forces Commissioner Act received Royal Assent on 3 September 2025, 301 days after its first reading in the House of Commons on 6 November 2024. MPs divided on it 7 times between 21 January 2025 and 2 July 2025; the narrowest margin was 131 (Motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 3).
Stages taken place
18
Commons divisions
7
Documents listed
16
Royal Assent
3 September 2025
What the bill is for
The long title reads:
A Bill to establish, and confer functions on, the Armed Forces Commissioner; to abolish the office of Service Complaints Ombudsman; and for connected purposes.
Sponsors
- John Healey (Labour, Commons), Ministry of Defence
- Lord Coaker (Labour, Lords), Ministry of Defence
Stages
| Stage | House | Sittings |
|---|---|---|
| 1st reading | Commons | 6 November 2024 |
| 2nd reading | Commons | 18 November 2024 |
| Programme motion | Commons | 18 November 2024 |
| Money resolution | Commons | 18 November 2024 |
| Committee stage | Commons | 10 December 2024, 12 December 2024 |
| Report stage | Commons | 21 January 2025 |
| 3rd reading | Commons | 21 January 2025 |
| 1st reading | Lords | 23 January 2025 |
| 2nd reading | Lords | 5 March 2025 |
| Committee stage | Lords | 19 March 2025, 24 March 2025 |
| Report stage | Lords | 30 April 2025 |
| 3rd reading | Lords | 12 May 2025 |
| Programme motion | Commons | 3 June 2025 |
| Consideration of Lords amendments | Commons | 3 June 2025 |
| Consideration of Commons amendments and / or reasons | Lords | 11 June 2025 |
| Consideration of Lords message | Commons | 2 July 2025 |
| Consideration of Commons amendments and / or reasons | Lords | 23 July 2025 |
| Royal Assent | Unassigned | 3 September 2025 |
Commons divisions on this bill
| Date | Division | Ayes | Noes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 January 2025 | Armed Forces Commissioner Bill Report Stage: Amendment 9 | 192 | 338 |
| 21 January 2025 | Armed Forces Commissioner Bill Report Stage: Amendment 10 | 191 | 338 |
| 21 January 2025 | Armed Forces Commissioner Bill Report Stage: Amendment 2 | 76 | 349 |
| 3 June 2025 | Armed Forces Commissioner Bill: Motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 2 | 319 | 180 |
| 3 June 2025 | Armed Forces Commissioner Bill: Motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 3 | 315 | 184 |
| 3 June 2025 | Armed Forces Commissioner Bill: Government amendment (a) in lieu of Lords Amendments 2 and 3 | 329 | 101 |
| 2 July 2025 | Armed Forces Commissioner Bill: Motion to insist on 2A and disagree with LA2B and LA2C | 321 | 158 |
Documents
Act of Parliament
- Armed Forces Commissioner Act 2025 (c. 23) 3 September 2025
Bill
- Bill 124 2024-25 (as introduced) 6 November 2024
- 5901063.pdf · 5901063.html · 5901063.xml 23 January 2025
- 5901097.pdf · 5901097.xml · 5901097.html 30 April 2025
- Bill 243 2024-25 (Lords Amendments to the Bill) 13 May 2025
- 5901105.pdf 3 June 2025
- Bill 262 2024-25 (Lords Non-Insistence and Amendments in Lieu) 12 June 2025
- 5901115.pdf 3 July 2025
Explanatory Notes
- Bill 124 EN 2024-25 6 November 2024
- HL Bill 63 Explanatory Notes · 5901063en.pdf 23 January 2025
- Bill 243 EN 2024-25 (Lords Amendments to the Bill) 20 May 2025
Delegated Powers Memorandum
- AFCBillDPM.pdf 24 January 2025
Briefing papers
- Armed Forces Commissioner Bill 2024-2025: Progress of the Bill 16 January 2025
- Armed Forces Commissioner Bill: HL Bill 63 6 February 2025
- Armed Forces Commissioner Bill 2024-2025: Lords amendments 27 June 2025
- Armed Forces Commissioner Bill 2024-25 16 January 2026
Official record
Sources
| Record | Read | SHA-256 |
|---|---|---|
| Bills API: bill | 28 October 2026 | 41b2e50f10b894a3… |
| Bills API: stages | 28 October 2026 | a77a4a924321e6d4… |
| Bills API: publications | 15 October 2026 | 0786fbc1e607dbc7… |