§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Service personnel who have served in the task force are to be awarded any additional leave; and if he will set out details of such leave entitlement in the Official Report.
§ Mr. WigginLeave will be granted in accordance with the existing regulations and we have no current plans to grant leave specifically because of the Falklands operation. Existing regulations provide a basic leave allowance of 30, 36 or 42 days depending on Service, seniority, and location. Additional leave is granted when Service men have been away from base for an extended period. In particular, Royal Navy personnel are allowed one extra day's leave for each two months served at sea, and Army and Royal Air Force personnel are allowed an extra seven days' disembarkation leave if they spend over three months outside North-West Europe.