On 20 March 2013 the House agreed changes to Standing Orders Nos. 144 and 152D that require the Members Estimate Committee to agree the Estimate for the House of Commons Members before it is laid by HM Treasury, and require the Finance and Services Committee to prepare that Estimate with the assistance of the Accounting Officer (the Clerk of the House). For the benefit of the House, this report summarises the evidence that has been considered by the Committee and sets out its provisional advice to the Commission and the Members Estimate Committee on the 2014/15 Estimates for Administration and Members respectively. This is the second year that the Committee has published such a report. On 8 November 2012 the House of Commons debated a motion to endorse the draft Administration Estimate for 2013/14, and it is the intention of the Committee to seek an opportunity for a similar debate this year

Places constitutional law in its legal, historical and political context using contemporary examples.

Although Armed Forces personnel have a lower rate of criminal offending than the general population, the rate for violent incidents is substantially higher, particularly amongst those who have previously been deployed in combat roles and those who misuse alcohol. The MoD needs to understand better the links between deployment, alcohol misuse and violent behaviour especially domestic violence. In particular, there has been no research as to the incidence of domestic violence amongst Armed Forces personnel. The Committee also found a 'shocking' backlog in the processing of claims for War Pensions and for the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme. The Committee is concerned that the demand for support from the Defence Recovery Capability already exceeds supply. Veterans need more support navigating the overlapping bureaucracy of the health system. Despite assurances from the MoD and the Department of Health, the Committee is concerned that, as operations in Afghanistan and Iraq fade from the public's mind and personnel move on to other lives, the necessary long term support for those injured physically and psychologically will not be maintained. The MoD, in conjunction with the Health Service, has introduced some measures to support veterans with mental health problems and amputees but other conditions also require this focus. The MoD should monitor the results of its work and report the outcomes in its annual report on the Armed Forces Covenant.