Explanatory Notes

Armed Forces Act 2006

2006 CHAPTER 52

8 November 2006

Third Group of Parts – General

Part 19 – Supplementary

Chapter 2 – Other Supplementary Provisions
Section 372: Evidence in proceedings before civilian courts

749.This section gives the Secretary of State power to make provision in regulations made by statutory instrument with respect to evidence in proceedings for an offence created by or under this Act before a civilian court in the UK, the Isle of Man or a British overseas territory. It replaces provisions contained in the SDAs dealing with the admissibility of certain service documents as evidence. The purpose of such provisions is to establish what may be accepted as evidence without further proof. For example, if a question arose as to whether a person had given false answers on enlistment, the regulations could provide that an enlistment document purporting to be signed by the person in question shall be evidence of the answers to questions that he gave on enlistment.