§ Mr. Concannonasked the Minister of State for Defence how many members of the British armed forces have had the death penalty passed upon them; how many of these were for offences against the various Armed Forces Acts since the beginning of the Second World War; and for how many and in which year and country were these sentences carried out.
§ Mr. LambtonFifty men have been executed since 1939 after trial under the Service Discipline Acts. Forty-six were executed overseas for murder. One was executed in London in July, 1946, for wartime treachery. Three were executed in August, 1942, for mutiny with violence in the Cocos-Keeling Islands.
§ Mr. Concannonasked the Minister of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces were given on conviction by court martial sentences of imprisonment over the past five years.
§ Mr. LambtonRoyal Navy—28; Royal Air Force—32. I will write to the hon. Member about the Army figures.
489W
§ Mr. Concannonasked the Minister of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces have been convicted at a court martial over the last five years for act, conduct or neglect to prejudice of service discipline; and what was the range of sentences passed.
§ Mr. LambtonRoyal Navy—78; Army—947; Royal Air Force—81. Sentences ranged from 28 days' detention to dismissal.
§ Mr. Concannonasked the Minister of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces have been dismissed with disgrace from Her Majesty's Service, and dismissed from Her Majesty's Service since 1946, respectively.
§ Mr. LambtonRoyal Navy—27 and 1,000 since 1946; Royal Air Force—60 and 152 since 1st January, 1966. I will write to the hon. Member about the Army figures.
§ Mr. Concannonasked the Minister of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces have been court martialled for being asleep on duty while on active service since 1946; and what was the average sentence passed.
§ Mr. LambtonAvailable statistics go back only to 1st January, 1966, since when 36 men have been tried. I regret that it is not possible to give an average sentence.
§ Mr. Concannonasked the Minister of State for Defence how many officers have been cashiered since 1946 for behaving in a scandalous manner unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentleman.
§ Mr. LambtonRoyal Navy—12 since 1946; Army—six since 1960; Royal Air Force—one since 1966. I regret that the statistics do not all go back to 1946.
§ Mr. Concannonasked the Minister of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces are serving terms of imprisonment and detention, at the last convenient date.
§ Mr. LambtonOn 1st September, 1970, 317 Servicemen were in detention. In 1968 and 1969 respectively 49 and 29 Servicemen were sentenced by court-martial to terms of imprisonment but it is not known how many are still in prison.490W There are also a very few Servicemen who before 1968 were awarded sentences longer than two years and who are still in prison.