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PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Armed Forces: Disciplinary Proceedings (11 April 2016)

Question Asked

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what records are kept by commanding officers when dealing with offences that are reported to them and dealt with summarily.

Asked by:
Karl Turner (Independent)

Answer

A Commanding Officer dealing with a Summary Hearing must complete a Record of Summary Hearing (RSH). This can be found at Annex C to Vol 1 Ch.9 JSP 830 (Manual of Service Law) which can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/478387/20151113-Chapter9-SHSSSD-AL38.pdf

The information that must be recorded includes the following:

- Details of the accused

- The charges and whether they are admitted or denied

- The outcome of the Summary Hearing and where relevant the sentence awarded

- Any order made (for example detention, order to pay)

- Reasons for sentence (including mitigating and aggravating factors and the effect of the punishment)

- The date of hearing and who it was heard by

The paperwork connected with the Summary Hearing should be processed within 24 hours following the hearing. The RSH should be retained under single-Service arrangements for a minimum period of two years and recordable offences will be recorded on the Police National Computer.


Answered by:
Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton (Conservative)
14 April 2016

Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.