§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the courts-martial held for Royal Navy ratings between 1993 and 1999 were at the election of the accused. [107867]
§ Mr. Spellar[holding answer 1 February 2000]: This information is only available from 1994, and the details are as follows.
Total numbers of courts martial for Royal Navy ratings Percentage at request of accused 1994 80 18 1995 64 25 1996 44 14 1997 56 34 1998 52 37 1999 49 47 Until 1996 only Leading Rates and higher ranks were able to elect for courts martial. In 1996, the Armed Forces Act extended this right to all naval ratings, which accounts for the increase in the figures from 1997 onwards.