The Armed Forces (Alignment of Service Discipline Acts) Order 2007
This Order amends the Army Act 1955, the Air Force Act 1955 and the Naval Discipline Act 1957 (commonly referred to as the “Service Discipline Acts”) to remove the current restrictions on the number of civilians who may sit as lay members of a court-martial when a civilian accused is to be tried. The amendments provide that rules dealing with courts-martial made under the Service Discipline Acts may provide for the different composition of courts-martial when dealing with civilian accused and in particular may provide for persons other than officers or warrant officers to sit as lay members of a court-martial. The amendments also provide for the modification of Part 2 of the Service Discipline Acts (discipline, trial and punishment) if it is consequent upon the new rules as to composition of courts-martial of civilian accused.