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.

It is reported that Defence Secretary Liam Fox has ended speculation that the Royal Air Force could be merged with the other armed services. From Virginia-based journal, DefenseNews:

Lt Gen (retd) Sir Graeme Lamb, Former Commander of the Field Army and a key member of the team which carried out the Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) Study, writes in the Daily Telegraph (13 Jul) that the The balance between regulars and reserves in our Armed Forces should be rethought:

The British Armed Forces Federation (BAFF) aims to operate as a professional staff association. It is not, and does not aim to be, a military trade union.

In its final issue after 168 years, the News of the World reports that HMS Liverpool has made the Royal Navy's first use of main armament gunnery since the Falklands Campaign:

Last year we followed the story that that women might be allowed to serve aboard RN submarines for the first time. The Sunday Mirror now reports that:

The Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox is expected to make a statement to the House of Commons next week following the review led by retired judge Lord Philips relating to the crash on 2 June 1994 at the Mull of Kintyre of RAF Chinook ZD676, killing all twenty-five passengers and four crew. From BBC News:

Dundee-based newspaper The Courier claims that the decision on future defence basing, which we were expecting early in the week, may now be delayed until Thursday (14 Jul) due to the business disruption caused by the News of the World alleged phone hacking scandal:

According to Forces News' report of the Armed Forces Bill debate in the Lords on Wednesday evening, the Government is being warned by armed services chiefs that the armed forces could be "on the brink" because of planned reforms and “morally indefensible" redundancies:

To what extent does human rights law apply to British forces on operations overseas? This vexed question has been in the news again lately, the latest development being the long-awaited decision by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in the case of al-Skeini and Others. Update:

Based on replies by Dr Fox in today's Commons Defence Questions, BBC News says that the decision on RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Leuchars is expected soon:

News of the future of RAF Lossiemouth in Moray and RAF Leuchars in Fife could be imminent, Defence Secretary Liam Fox has hinted.

Mr Fox said a number of decisions on the future of threatened air bases - including the two in Scotland - had been taken.

Answering questions in the Commons, Mr Fox said he hoped "to make progress very shortly".

Campaigners have been trying to save the Lossiemouth and Leuchars bases.

The Scottish government has said Scotland has already suffered more than its fair share of military spending cuts.

The UK government decided to scrap the fleet of new Nimrod spy planes at Kinloss in Moray as part of the defence review

Scottish Secretary Michael Moore has also been gathering evidence on the possible effect of two base closures on the Moray economy.

North East Fife MP Sir Menzies Campbell said that the campaign for keeping RAF Leuchars was in the "home straight" but the race was still on "until we reach the tape".

He urged supporters to e-mail the prime minister directly to make their own case for the base's retention.

• BBC News source: RAF Lossiemouth and Leuchars news could be imminent

According to the Sunday Telegraph, millions of pounds in bonus payments to military bands have been axed as the Ministry of Defence desperately attempts to save more money:

Badly wounded soldiers are subjected to a “postcode lottery” of care on the NHS when they leave the Services, charity chiefs have told MPs.From the Daily Telegraph:

External links have been removed from this archived 2011 article.

The Howard League for Penal Reform’s Inquiry into Former Armed Service Personnel in Prison published its final report recently in the run up to Armed Forces Day on Saturday 25th June:

A report in the Daily Telegraph says that as part of the new military covenant, the Prime Minister is to change the law (in England) "in an attempt to show he is recognising the sacrifices of those who risk their lives for their country". This follows initiatives by a number of local authorities. The Telegraph story continues:

According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, RAF chiefs fear that the “cream” of the air force is leaving after a dozen group captains resigned or asked for voluntary redundancy in the past month: