Thanks for the link TL Thou. It's worth reading the whole thing, but there were a couple of interesting points. The debate was over the continuation of the Army, Air Force and Naval Discipline Acts, which jointly constitute a large part of the authority of the armed forces in the UK. The Acts are renewed every few years by Parliament. Lord Chalfont proposed an amendment that the Acts should not be renewed until the Govt responds to the Chinook Select Committee.
For the Govt, Lord Bach said "The committee's report is a detailed assessment of a set of complex, technical, legal and, we believe, airmanship issues". My first thought was how can there be "airmanship issues" when there are no facts to testify as to the airmanship, or lack of it?
On the subject of the simulation being carried out by Boeing, Lord Bach went on: "Boeing has also been asked to re-examine to what extent the minimum speed at the way-point can be established". It looks as if they are hoping to use the simulation as "evidence" to prove their "airmanship issues" - ie blame the pilots.
Interestingly, they made this commitment "We intend to make the evidence produced through Boeing's work, in the light of the re-modelling process, available ", albeit with the predictable caveat "although there may be some matters of commercial sensitivity which preclude publication of some elements."
On the subject of the timescale, Lord Bach said "We will report within the six months that we are allowed." However, as became apparent, the actual expiry of the 6 months is somewhat unclear (to some at least):
Lord Bach: "The Select Committee's report was published on 5th February, not 3lst January, of this year."
Lord Chalfont: "There is not much argument about it because it is printed on the report—ordered to be printed on 31st January. As far as I am concerned that is when the report was issued. However, we will not argue about five days when we have already waited this length of time for the Ministry of Defence response. "
The date of the summer recess is not yet known, but as a guide the Commons recess in 2001 was 20th July, and the Lords on 24th July. In previous years recesses have generally been in the last week of July, or early in August. That 5 days may yet prove to be important.
Lord Bach conceded in the debate that the announcement would be late in the session, and would not give time for a debate before the recess. That means that the earliest opportunity for a debate will be in October. We'll be waiting .......