Military Action (Parliamentary Approval) (No. 2) Bill

Key Points

• Parliament must approve deployment of UK armed forces and use of UK military equipment in armed conflict.
• Parliament must approve any ministerial permission for foreign use of UK bases or equipment in armed conflict.
• If Parliament does not approve, the permission must be withdrawn; exemptions apply and retrospective approval may be possible in limited circumstances.
• The bill provides for exemptions from these requirements and for retrospective parliamentary approval in certain cases.
• It is currently at the 2nd reading in the House of Commons and would need to pass to the Lords and gain Royal Assent to become law.

Progress

The bill is at the 2nd reading stage in the House of Commons after its 1st reading on 4 March 2026. It would need to clear further Commons stages, then pass through the Lords and obtain Royal Assent to become law.