HC Deb 20 November 2001 vol 375 c170W
Mr. Hague

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions the Government have had with the Commission for Racial Equality concerning the applicability of the Race Relations Act 1976 to service personnel serving on sovereign bases outside the European Union. [15641]

Mr. Ingram

There have been no such discussions to date.

Mr. Hague

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will amend the UK armed forces policy statements on equal opportunities to make it clear that service personnel serving wholly on sovereign bases outside the European Union are not covered by the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. [15637]

Mr. Ingram

The armed forces policy statements on equal opportunities are kept under review and will be updated if necessary once the legal position for service personnel serving on sovereign bases outside the European Union is clarified.

In addition I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 8 November 2001, Official Report, column 380W.