To what extent should human rights laws apply to British forces personnel when deployed on operations overseas?

Review: Sean Rayment on Losing Small Wars by Frank Ledwidge, "an account of why Britain fared so badly in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan":

Despite earlier complaints by Ministry of Defence media staff that speculation about closures had been distressing families and putting lives at risk by distracting soldiers on operations, there has been increasing discussion about Army units being cut more quickly than previously expected. The Daily Telegraph now reports that:

Defence Secretary Liam Fox has announced a £1.5 billion investment in UK reserve forces over the next 10 years as part of a wide-ranging shake-up of the UK's military. Dr Fox told MPs that the Territorial Army would form around 30% of a 120,000-strong Army by 2020. In a statement to MPs Dr Fox announced major changes in the basing of forces, with RAF installations set to be taken over by Army units returning from Germany. BritishForcesNews reports (18.07.2011).

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The Welsh Affairs Committee of the House of Commons has announced a new inquiry into support for armed forces veterans and their families in Wales. The Committee has asked for written submissions by Monday 12 September. BAFF members and supporters who have something to contribute to the inquiry are encouraged to submit their own submissions - BAFF assistance available on request. If there are issues on which you would like BAFF itself to submit written evidence, please contact us as soon as possible.

The full report of the Future Reserves 2020 study (FR20) is now available at the following MoD link:

A critical report by the House of Commons Defence Committee, published today (Sunday), questions the coalition government's plan to remove troops by 2015, saying such a decision should be based on circumstances, not artificial deadlines. And it says the shortfall in troop numbers and the poor state of equipment they were given on deployment in Helmand in 2006 was "unacceptable". BAFF comment:

 In the latest speculation about the imminent release of the FR20 study  (now expected on Monday)  it is reported that thousands of regular soldiers could be sacked to boost the role of the Territorial Army. Former Labour defence minister Kevan Jones MP says that “Major changes are gong to cost money. Without that, the report will simply sit on a shelf.” The British Armed Forces Federation, which includes reservists as well as regular and retired forces personnel amongst its membership, pointed out in a recent radio interview that any defence capabilities transferred to the reserves must be adequately funded, genuinely usable and "not mere window dressing" - otherwise they must remain with the regular forces. From the Daily Telegraph:

'Inside Housing' reports that a local authority has pledged to give members of the armed forces priority access to social housing and has set aside 15 homes:

Following the 2005 General Election,  Silence in the Ranks identified "the UK's tight electoral timetable" as an important factor in the effective disenfranchisement of many members of the armed forces community, whether their postal votes failed to arrive in time or whether they did not even attempt to vote, out of lack of confdence in the system.