Royal Air Force (Constitution) Act 2023
 | |
| Long title | An Act to make provision for the establishment, administration, and discipline of an Air Force, the establishment of an Air Force Board, and for purposes connected therewith. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 1 Edw. 9. c. 30 |
| Introduced by | 9 June 2023 (Commons) 13 June 2023 (Lords) |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 15 June 2023 |
| Commencement | 15 June 2023 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amended by | |
Status: Current legislation | |
The Royal Air Force (Constitution) Act 2023 (1 Edw. 9. c. 30) is a Standard Act of Parliament which established the Royal Air Force. The bill was written by the Member of Parliament for St. James and the Member of Parliament for West Dunbartonshire. The Royal Air Force (Constitution) Bill was duly introduced to the House of Commons on 9 June 2023 and the House of Lords on 13 June 2023, and received Royal Assent on 15 June 2023. It was amended by the Royal Air Force Military Stance (Defender) Act 2023.
Background
In her campaign as Prime Minister and Member of Parliament, The Duchess of Edinburgh advocated for the establishment of a Defender military, stating that the Empire of Great Britain should align itself "...with defender-led regions and to work with them so that we have partnerships and allies that will protect us should we need it."
Under the aegis of the Wilton Park Programme, the Prime Minister, The Duchess of Edinburgh, the Deputy Prime Minister, The Viscountess Balloch, the First Secretary of State, The Earl of Stirling, the Minister of State for Defence, The Earl of Antrim, and the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, The Earl of Beaufort, met to discuss the particulars and the results of those discussions was the Royal Air Force (Constitution) Bill.
Debate in Parliament
House of Commons
| Party | MP | Constituency | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCP | Elizabeth Howard-Campbell, 1st Duchess of Edinburgh | St. James |  Aye
|
| BCP | Cameron Romefeller, 1st Viscountess Balloch | West Dunbartonshire | Aye
|
| BCP | August Lleyton, 1st Earl of Stirling | Stirling | Aye
|
| BCP | Miann Howard-Campbell, 1st Earl of Lothian | Edinburgh West | Aye
|
| BCP | William Scott-Chester | Kensington | Aye
|
| TLD | James Forsyte, 1st Duke of Warwick | York Central |  Absent
|
| TLD | Yeldon Wright | North Yorkshire |  Nay
|
House of Lords
Current Version
Article I: Titles
1.00: This Act may be cited and referred to in short as the Royal Air Force (Constitution) Act 2023.
1.01: This Act may be referred to in full as An Act to make provision for the establishment, administration, and discipline of an Air Force, the establishment of an Air Council, and for purposes connected therewith.
Article II: Establishment and Structure of the Royal Air Force
2.00: The Royal Air Force (hereafter referred to as the Royal Air Force) is hereby established as the region's sole military body.
2.00a: The military stance of the Royal Air Force shall be Defender and shall not engage in Raider operations except in the pursuit of Defender goals or in the Defense of the Empire of Great Britain.
2.01: The Royal Air Force shall be composed of the following structure:
2.01a: The Sovereign, as Commander in Chief;
2.01b: The Professional Head of the Royal Air Force, to be known as the Chief of the Air Staff;
2.01c: The Air Force Board, to be chaired by the Chief of the Air Staff and consisting of the Sovereign, the Prince of Wales, the Prince Royal, the Prime Minister, and every active duty Air Marshal.
2.01d: Commissioned Officers;
2.01e: Enlisted Personnel.
Article III: Commander in Chief
3.00: The Royal Air Force shall be led by the Commander in Chief, a role to be vested in the Sovereign of the Empire of Great Britain.
3.01: The Commander in Chief shall have the following powers with regard to the Royal Air Force and may delegate these powers at their pleasure:
3.01a: The power to create and maintain all ranks in the Royal Air Force;
3.01b: The power to create and maintain the enlistment application for admittance into the Royal Air Force;
3.01c: The power to promote, demote, discharge, and commission all admirals, officers, and enlisted personnel of the Royal Air Force;
3.01d: The power to create, abolish, award, revoke, and set regulations for all military honours;
3.01e: The power to create and maintain the official jump point of the Royal Air Force, or to allow for the use of a jump point shared with the Empire's military allies;
3.01f: The power to accept and deny enlistment applications to the Royal Air Force.
Article IV: Chief of the Air Staff
4.00: The Commander in Chief may appoint a Professional Head of the Royal Air Force to execute their duties in their name, to be known as the Chief of the Air Staff.
4.01: The Chief of the Air Staff serves at the Commander in Chief's pleasure, until removal or resignation.
4.02: The Commander in Chief may delegate any or all of their powers to the Chief of the Air Staff.
4.03: The Chief of the Air Staff may commission a deputy, to be known as the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff.
4.04: The Chief of the Air Staff may be summoned by either House of Parliament to deliver a force readiness assessment, a general update, or any other matter as requested by Parliament.
4.04a: In the absence of a Chief of the Air Staff, the Commander in Chief shall appoint a member of the Air Force Board to speak before Parliament.
Article V: Ratification
5.00: This Act shall come into effect upon passage by both Houses of Parliament with a simple majority and assent by the Sovereign or other authority as established under the Monarchy Act of 2021.
First Version
Article I || Titles
1.00 || This Act may be cited and referred to in short as the Royal Air Force (Constitution) Act 2023.
1.01 || This Act may be referred to in full as An Act to make provision for the establishment, administration, and discipline of an Air Force, the establishment of an Air Council, and for purposes connected therewith.
Article II || Establishment and Structure of the Royal Air Force
2.00 || The Royal Air Force (hereafter referred to as the Royal Air Force) is hereby established as the region's sole military body.
2.01 || The Royal Air Force shall be composed of the following structure:
2.01a || The Sovereign, as Commander in Chief;
2.01b || The Professional Head of the Royal Air Force, to be known as the Chief of the Air Staff;
2.01c || The Air Force Board, to be chaired by the Chief of the Air Staff and consisting of the Sovereign, the Prince of Wales, the Prince Royal, the Prime Minister, and every active duty Air Marshal.
2.01d || Commissioned Officers;
2.01e || Enlisted Personnel.
Article III || Commander in Chief
3.00 || The Royal Air Force shall be led by the Commander in Chief, a role to be vested in the Sovereign of the Empire of Great Britain.
3.01 || The Commander in Chief shall have the following powers with regard to the Royal Air Force and may delegate these powers at their pleasure:
3.01a || The power to create and maintain all ranks in the Royal Air Force;
3.01b || The power to create and maintain the enlistment application for admittance into the Royal Air Force;
3.01c || The power to promote, demote, discharge, and commission all admirals, officers, and enlisted personnel of the Royal Air Force;
3.01d || The power to create, abolish, award, revoke, and set regulations for all military honours;
3.01e || The power to create and maintain the official jump point of the Royal Air Force, or to allow for the use of a jump point shared with the Empire's military allies;
3.01f || The power to accept and deny enlistment applications to the Royal Air Force.
Article IV || Chief of the Air Staff
4.00 || The Commander in Chief may appoint a Professional Head of the Royal Air Force to execute their duties in their name, to be known as the Chief of the Air Staff.
4.01 || The Chief of the Air Staff serves at the Commander in Chief's pleasure, until removal or resignation.
4.02 || The Commander in Chief may delegate any or all of their powers to the Chief of the Air Staff.
4.03 || The Chief of the Air Staff may commission a deputy, to be known as the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff.
4.04 || The Chief of the Air Staff may be summoned by either House of Parliament to deliver a force readiness assessment, a general update, or any other matter as requested by Parliament.
4.04a || In the absence of a Chief of the Air Staff, the Commander in Chief shall appoint a member of the Air Force Board to speak before Parliament.
Article V || Ratification
5.00 || This Act shall come into effect upon passage by both Houses of Parliament with a simple majority and assent by the Sovereign or other authority as established under the Monarchy Act of 2021.