§ Mr. MartlewTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the combat effectiveness of the armed forces requires discrimination on the grounds of sex or race.
§ Mr. SoamesCombat effectiveness does not require discrimination on the ground of race. Some areas of employment do, however, remain closed to service women, although the scope for extending the employment of women is under review. In order to maintain combat effectiveness, however, it is unlikely that the employment of women will be extended to all front line posts of the armed forces; such exclusions are consistent with national and European law.
§ Mr. MartlewTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a table setting out the ethnic composition of the armed forces at each rank in the Army, the Navy and the Royal Air Force at the latest available date.
§ Mr. SoamesA breakdown of the ethnic composition of each of the armed forces will be published shortly. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House at that time.
§ Mr. MartlewTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of armed forces sexual harassment policies.
§ Mr. SoamesI shall arrange for a copy of the Army and Royal Air Force documents on sexual harassment to be placed in the Library of the House shortly. The Royal Navy's policy document is nearing completion and a copy will be placed in the Library when it has been finalised.