§ 1. Mr. Lewisasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many cases of known homosexuality have been reported in the Royal Air Force during the last three years; and what action has been taken against those found guilty or responsible for this offence.
Mr. WardDuring the last three years, 86 members of the Royal Air Force have been convicted by court-martial of offences of this kind. This figure represents an average annual incidence of about one in 9,000. Sentences of up to seven years' imprisonment and discharge with ignominy were imposed, and only most exceptionally was a man allowed to remain in the Service after conviction.