§ Ms CorstonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it is a chargeable offence for serving members of the armed forces(a) to be in breach of unit standing orders and (b) not to have read unit standing orders.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonIt is a chargeable offence under service law to fail to comply with any provision of unit standing orders of which the person concerned knew or might reasonably be expected to have known. Unless the unit standing orders in question themselves provided that they were to be read by the person concerned, or that there was a requirement to do so in some other orders, failure to read unit standing orders would not in itself be an offence but would provide no defence for failing to comply with them.
§ Ms CorstonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what means unit standing orders are made accessible to all ranks serving in the armed forces.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonService personnel are required to acquaint themselves with standing orders which are prominently displayed within units on notice boards, in messes and such other suitable places as the commanding officer may direct.