HL Deb 04 March 2003 vol 645 cc100-1WA
Baroness Thornton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What arrangements are in place to allow reservists to be called out to support operations in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [HL1970]

Lord Bach

A new call-out order has been made under Section 56 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 so that reservists may continue to be called out to support operations in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This order will take effect from 1 March 2003, the date the previous order expired. There are no plans to call reservists up compulsorily under this order, as it is expected that the small numbers needed will be met through volunteers for service in those countries.