§ Baroness Davidasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their current policy on the recruitment to the army of ex-offenders (a) with spent convictions and (b) without spent convictions.
§ The Minister of State for Defence Procurement (Lord Trefgarne)When considering the applications from individuals who have been convicted, the services are bound by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. If the conviction has become spent the applicant is in most cases treated as if the offence had never existed. Only applicants to certain specific sensitive types of employment need to declare spent convictions.
In cases of unspent convictions, there is considerable flexibility in the Army's rules to allow recruiting staff to accept an applicant having given due consideration to the offence committed, the individual's subsequent conduct and any other relevant information.