Armed Forces Act 1981

Existing enactments

1 (1) Every enactment which refers to the armed forces or the naval, military or air forces of the Crown shall have effect as if the reference included a reference to the women's services of those forces administered by the Defence Council and any enactment containing the words " men ", " soldiers ", " seamen ", " airmen " or other word importing a reference to persons of the male sex only as, or as having been, or as capable of being, members of the naval, military or air forces of the Crown shall have effect as if for such word there had been substituted therein words having a like meaning in other respects but importing a reference to persons of either sex.

(2) Sub-paragraph (1) above applies for the interpretation of references to the reserve or auxiliary forces as it applies for the interpretation of references to the regular forces of the Crown.

(3) Sub-paragraph (1) above does not apply in a case where, or to the extent to which, the enactment refers to the Royal Navy.

(4) Sub-paragraph (1) above does not apply in a case where, or to the extent to which, the enactment refers to the naval, military or air forces of the Crown raised outside the United Kingdom ; but nothing in this sub-paragraph affects the meaning of " visiting force " in the [1933 c. 6.] Visiting Forces (British Commonwealth) Act 1933 or Part I of the [1952 c. 67.] Visiting Forces Act 1952.

(5) This paragraph has effect in place of subsection (1) of section 3 of the [1948 c. 21.] Army and Air Force (Women's Service) Act 1948 (which makes corresponding provision in relation to the military and air forces) and of so much of any other enactment as explains, in relation to the women's services, particular statutory references to the armed forces of the Crown ; but the power to make Orders in Council under subsection (2) of that section shall include power to make the like provision in consequence of the preceding provisions of this paragraph so far as those provisions relate to the naval forces of the Crown.