The Reserve Forces (Provision of Information by Persons Liable to be Recalled) Regulations 1997

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations require former members of the armed forces who may at some time in the future be recalled for service to provide information of their whereabouts, current occupation, qualifications and fitness for service.

The regulations apply to naval and marine pensioners liable to be recalled under section 30 of the Reserve Forces Act 1980, army and air force pensioners liable to be recalled under section 31 of that Act, former soldiers liable to be recalled under section 34 of that Act and persons liable to be recalled under Part VII of the Reserve Forces Act 1996. They also apply to persons whose liability for recall under Part VII has been temporarily exempted or relaxed. The Army Long-Term Reserve Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988/2311) which currently regulate the provision of information by former soldiers liable to recall will be revoked when section 34(4) of the Reserve Forces Act 1980, under which they were made, is repealed.

Regulation 3 specifies the information which a person must provide without it being demanded, namely: his address and telephone number; any intention which he may have to leave the United Kingdom (including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) for more than 3 months and, if he does leave, the fact of his return and his address and telephone number on returning; any medical condition which may make him unfit for service and, where he has given notification of his unfitness, confirmation that he has again become fit for service.

The information which must be provided within 14 days of it being demanded under regulation 4 is: the person’s name; his home and work addresses and telephone numbers (if any); his current occupation, any professional, technical or like qualifications and any licence or certificate which he holds to drive a motor vehicle, pilot or be a flight engineer on an aircraft or act as an officer on a ship.

Regulation 5 sets out the appropriate authorities who may demand such information and to whom it must be given.

These Regulations do not impose any costs on business.