§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many members of the Territorial Army are currently in post and serving with HM Armed Forces in (a) the Falklands; (b) Bosnia; and (c) the Yugoslavian provinces; what is the average length of their tours; and what is their position if they are away from their civilian jobs for more than 12 months. [HL3495]
§ Lord GilbertThere are currently no mobilised TA serving in the Falklands. Three hundred and fifty-five mobilised TA personnel are serving in Bosnia and 38 mobilised TA personnel are serving in Kosovo and Macedonia. The average tour length for mobilised TA personnel is seven and a half months. There are some 17 members of the TA on full-time reserve service in Bosnia and some eight in Kosovo and Macedonia.
Under the conditions of the Reserve Forces (Safeguard of Employment) Act 1985, employers have a legal obligation to reinstate mobilised TA members on completion of their service on terms and conditions identical to those which would have applied had they not been called out, regardless of the length of time that they have been mobilised. Those on full-time reserve service are not covered by the terms of the Reserve Forces Act and there is, therefore, no legal obligation for their employers to reinstate them on completion of their service.