Law

Armed Forces Act 1971

United Kingdom · statute

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In force since 2012-10-01, as the publisher states.

Copy read on 2026-11-08. The page it was read from

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.

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Contents: 83 provisions
  1. Title and introductory text
  2. 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  3. 2 Misconduct in action, assisting the enemy, obstructing operations, etc.
  4. 3 Prize offences.
  5. 4 Offences by or in relation to sentries, persons on watch etc.
  6. 5 Failure to attend for duty, neglect of duty etc.
  7. 6 Looting
  8. 7 Mutiny
  9. 8 Insurbodinate behaviour, and disobedience to lawful commands.
  10. 9 Obstruction of provost officers etc.
  11. 10 Disobedience to standing orders etc.
  12. 11 Desertion.
  13. 12 Absence without leave.
  14. 13 Failure to report or apprehend deserters or absentees.
  15. 14 Malingering.
  16. 15 Drunkeness.
  17. 16 Disorderly conduct.
  18. 17 Service etc. property: damage, loss, misapplication and waste.
  19. 18 Billeting offences.
  20. 19 Loss or hazarding of ship.
  21. 20 Inaccurate certification of ships and aircraft.
  22. 21 Low flying and annoyance by flying.
  23. 22 Permitting escape, resisting arrest, and escaping.
  24. 23 Offences in relation to courts-martial.
  25. 24 Unauthorised disclosure of information.
  26. 25 False statements on entry into Royal Navy.
  27. 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  28. 27 Offences against civilian population.
  29. 28 Offences against morale.
  30. 29 Scandalous conduct by officers.
  31. 30 Ill-treatment of persons of inferior rank etc.
  32. 31 Disgraceful conduct.
  33. 32 Attempts, aiding and abetting etc., and inciting.
  34. 33 Conduct to the prejudice of service discipline.
  35. 34 Civil offences.
  36. 35 Abolition of certain offences.
  37. 36 Punishments for army and air-force offences dealt with courts-martial.
  38. 37 Punishments for army and air-force offences dealt with summarily.
  39. 38 Punishments for naval offences.
  40. 39 Imprisonment and detention: consecutive terms.
  41. 40 Detention for army and air-force offences: limitation of total period.
  42. 41 Time for trial of offences under s. 42 of Naval Discipline Act 1957.
  43. 42 Naval offences by civilians.
  44. 43 Consequential and minor, amendments.
  45. 44 Arrest by civil authorities.
  46. 45 Exclusion of enactments requiring fiat of Attorney General etc. in connection with proceedings.
  47. 46 Extension of powers of “higher authority” with respect to army and air-force charges.
  48. 47 Amendments as to summary trial for naval offences.
  49. 48 Amendments as to convening or ordering of court-martial.
  50. 49 Amendments as to procedure of courts-martial, and evidence in naval disciplinary courts.
  51. 50 Army and air force courts-martial: amendments as to revision and confirmation of findings.
  52. 51 Naval findings and sentences: amendments as to reviewing authorities.
  53. 52 Countries for serving of naval sentences of imprisonment and detention.
  54. 53 Commencment of naval sentences of imprisonment and detention.
  55. 54 Remission of sentences of imprisonment and detention.
  56. 55 Amendment of Naval Discipline Act 1957 as respects effect of taking offences into consideration.
  57. 56 Amendments as to deserters and absentees without leave.
  58. 57 Addition to Naval Discipline Act 1957 of provisions as to proof of proceedings.
  59. 58 Fees for copies of proceedings of army and air-force courts-martial.
  60. 59 Army and air force : new provisions for deductions in respect of judgement debts etc.
  61. 60 Navy: amendments as to forefeitures for illegal absence.
  62. 61 Navy: new provisions as to forfeitures and deductions generally, and as to deductions for civil penalties, judgement debts etc.
  63. 62 Amendments of provisions as to service of process in maitenance proceedings.
  64. 63 Minimum age for enlistment or entry without parental etc. consent.
  65. 64 Purchase of discharge from army and air force.
  66. 65 Forefeiture of service for naval deserters.
  67. 66 Redress of complaints.
  68. 67 Naval billeting and requisitioning.
  69. 68 Reductions in rank under Army Act 1955 and Air Force Act 1955.
  70. 69
  71. 70 Taking of affidavits and declarations abroad.
  72. 71 Addition to Naval Discipline Act 1957 of provision indemnifying prison officers etc.
  73. 72 Application of Army Act 1955 and Air Force Act 1955 to passengers in H.M. ships and aircraft.
  74. 73 Appeal against sentence by civilians.
  75. 74 Meaning of “active service” in Naval Discipline Act 1957.
  76. 75 Amendments for introducing naval rate, and marine rank, of warrant officer.
  77. 76 Sufficency of evidence in Scottish courts.
  78. 77 Repeals and transitional provisions.
  79. 78 Short title, construction and commencement.
  80. SCHEDULE 1 AMENDMENTS ARISING FROM PART II OF THIS ACT
  81. Schedule 2 AMENDMENTS ABOUT APPEALS AGAINST SENTENCE
  82. Schedule 3 AMENDMENTS FOR INTRODUCING NAVAL RATE, AND MARINE RANK, OF WARRANT OFFICER
  83. SCHEDULE 4 Repeals

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83 provisions

Schedule 2 AMENDMENTS ABOUT APPEALS AGAINST SENTENCE

Section 73. Courts-Martial (Appeals) Act 1968 1 (1) The Courts-Martial (Appeals) Act 1968 shall be amended as follows. (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (7) In section 34, the words “under subsection (1) above” shall be substituted for the words “this section” in subsection (2), and the following subsection shall be added after subsection (3):— (4) Where a person convicted by court-martial is a civilian as defined in section 8(5) of this Act, the Secretary of State may, if consideration thereof by the Appeal Court appears to him for any reason desirable, refer the sentence of the court-martial to the Court; and any such reference shall be treated as an appeal by the person convicted against sentence for all purposes except those of section 32 of this Act . (8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Army Act 1955 and the Air Force Act 1955 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Naval Discipline Act 1957 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Schedule 3 AMENDMENTS FOR INTRODUCING NAVAL RATE, AND MARINE RANK, OF WARRANT OFFICER

Section 75. The Naval and Marine Pay and Pensions Act 1865 1 Section 2 of the Naval and Marine Pay and Pensions Act 1865 shall be amended by inserting, in the definition of “seaman or marine” the words “warrant officer” immediately before the words “petty officer”, and the words “warrant or” immediately before the words “non-commissioned officer”. The Greenwich Hospital Act 1865 2 In section 5 of the Greenwich Hospital Act 1865, immediately before the words “non-commissioned officers”, in both places where they occur, there shall be inserted the words “warrant officers”. The Navy and Marines (Property of Deceased) Act 1865 3 Section 2 of the Navy and Marines (Property of Deceased) Act 1865 shall be amended by inserting, in the definition of “seaman or marine”, the words “warrant officer” immediately before the words “petty officer” in both places where they occur, and the words “warrant or” immediately before the words “non-commissioned officer”. The Army Act 1955 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Naval Discipline Act 1957 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Reserve Forces Act 1966 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Armed Forces Act 1966 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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