New laws to protect reservists

The number of volunteer reservists will be doubled to 30,000 and become part of an “integrated Army”, with greater training and command opportunities, and Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has confirmed that the enhanced number and role of reservists, most of whom have full-time civilian jobs, may require “underpinning legislation”.

The Defence Secretary said:

“Delivering this step change in the size and role of the reserves will require a change in the relationship between defence, the employer and the reservist.

“Many employers already give excellent support to reservists, for which we, and the nation, are grateful, but we need a new framework of partnership, with public and private sector employers, that gives us the confidence that trained reservist manpower will be available when it is really needed.”

The Defence Secretary added that he intended to publish a consultation paper later this year setting out the reservist proposals, with a government response early next year setting out the “terms and conditions of service, employer engagement, the government’s own commitments as an employer, and on any legislation necessary to underpin and support our vision for the reserves.”