Member

What is clear is that the present arrangement cannot continue. That is why I tabled Amendment 54, which would add the United States of America specifically to the list of countries bound by the Visiting Forces Act 1952. At present, the USA is bound only by the slightly less formal arrangements of troops from other countries who are here under the banner of NATO forces, which is an even less transparent mechanism than in the Visiting Forces Act’s sections. This is particularly extraordinary because no country other than the USA now has its own bases in the United Kingdom, and it has the largest numbers of visiting forces of any foreign country, so it makes sense for it to be added to the list of countries with which we have specific agreements under this Act. My Amendment 68 is consequential on Amendment 54, bringing it within the commencement provision in Clause 55.