§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Official Report the number of prosecutions proceeded with for abuse of rank, attacks 575W on superior officers and drug-related problems in the years 1980 to 1986 and the latest figures for 1987, showing each service and each offence separately.
§ Mr. Freeman"Abuse of rank" is not an offence within the terms of the Service Discipline Acts. Statistics on offences involving attacks on superior officers could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Figures for comvictions for drug-related offences are as follows:
Royal Navy Army Royal Air Force 1980 100 39 14 1981 100 70 32 1982 36 69 17 1983 61 114 15 1984 61 149 143 1985 52 130 77 1986 112 89 20 1 Complete details for 1986 for the Royal Navy are not yet available. No figures for 1987 are yet available.