CENTENARY OF THE MILITARY SERVICE ACT 1916 AND CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

Early day motion 1036, tabled 28 January 2016 by Ruth Cadbury (Labour). Signed by 26 members.

That this House recognises that 2 March 2016 marks the centenary of the Military Service Act 1916 which has enshrined within it the first inclusive right to conscientious objection; further recognises that, despite advances in the human rights of conscientious objectors in the last 100 years, citizens remain financially conscripted into the armed services; and considers that to fully recognise the freedom of conscientious objectors there should be the capacity to allow them to register as a conscientious objector to military tax and direct the proportion of their income tax that goes to the Ministry of Defence to be placed in a non-military security fund, thus allowing all taxpayers to be able to contribute their taxes towards national security with a clear conscience.

Signatures by party: Scottish National Party 15, Labour 4, Plaid Cymru 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Green 1, Independent 1.