§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in view of the Council of Europe recommendation 924, he will take steps to ensure that there is equality of treatment for homosexuals in respect of service in the armed forces.
§ Mr. LeeService life is often in largely single sex communities and in conditions in which it is important to prevent abuse of authority. These circumstances have been considered by successive Governments to be sufficiently different from civil life to justify the continuing proscription of homosexual practices within the armed forces. Parliament reaffirmed this position during the passage of the Armed Forces Act 1981 and there has been no subsequent change of policy.