§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the benefits of removing the death penalty from military law; and if he will make a statement. [39220]
§ Dr. ReidDuring the passage of the Armed Forces Act 1996 it was suggested that the death penalty, in the Service context, should be abolished. As a result the previous administration undertook to carry out a fundamental review of the need to retain the death penalty as a maximum punishment for certain offences under Service law. This work is in progress. I will advise the House of the outcome as soon as possible.