Member

I hope that that was a mistake and an oversight by the Government. I trust that it is not a deliberate attempt to try not to put themselves in conflict with local authorities in Northern Ireland that are controlled by Sinn Féin. If that was the reason, it is an absolute disgrace. If it was an oversight, I hope that the Government will rectify it and ensure that local authorities in Northern Ireland are included in the armed forces covenant requirements as they apply to local authorities in the rest of the United Kingdom. Many Unionist local authorities will want to legally give support to those who have served in Northern Ireland. If any Sinn Féin local authorities do not wish to do so, the Government should not simply say, “We will back away from this, then.” The same obligation should be on them, because they have soldiers living in their areas.