§ Mr. Woodburnasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the concern in regard to the proposals in the revision of the Army Act to apply the code of English criminal law to all civil offences committed by soldiers, and the difficulties which are likely to arise in its application to Scottish soldiers in Scotland or abroad; and whether adaptations will be made to permit Scots soldiers charged with civil offences to be remitted to Scottish courts to be tried according to Scottish law.
§ Mr. HeadI have been asked to reply.
The Select Committee's proposals in this regard involve no change in the existing law. The most serious offences would still be specifically reserved for trial in the civil courts and, where other charges arise, the civil prosecuting authorities would retain their present power to decide whether or not to prosecute in a civil court.