(1)In section 1 of the M1Sexual Offences Act 1967 (amendment of law relating to homosexual acts in private), for “twenty-one” in both places where it occurs there is substituted “ eighteen ”.

(2)In section 80 of the M2Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 (homosexual offences), for “twenty-one” in each place where it occurs there is substituted “ eighteen ”.

(3)In Article 3 of the M3Homosexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 1982 (homosexual acts in private), for “21” in both places where it occurs there is substituted “ 18 ”.

(2)In section 80 of the M4Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980—

(a)subsection (5) (homosexual acts in the armed forces) shall cease to have effect;

(b)in subsection (7)—

(i)after paragraph (b) there shall be inserted the word “ or ”; and

(ii)paragraph (d) (homosexual acts on merchant ships) and the word “; or” immediately preceding that paragraph shall cease to have effect; and

(c)subsection (8) (interpretation) shall cease to have effect.

(3)Section 2 of the M5Sexual Offences Act 1967 (homosexual acts on merchant ships) is repealed.

(4)Nothing contained in this section shall prevent a homosexual act (with or without other acts or circumstances) from constituting a ground for discharging a member of Her Majesty’s armed forces from the service or dismissing a member of the crew of a United Kingdom merchant ship from his ship or, in the case of a member of Her Majesty’s armed forces, where the act occurs in conjunction with other acts or circumstances, from constituting an offence under the M6Army Act 1955, the M7Air Force Act 1955 or the M8Naval Discipline Act 1957.

Expressions used in this subsection and any enactment repealed by this section have the same meaning in this subsection as in that enactment.

(1)In the M9Homosexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 1982, the following are revoked—

(a)in article 3(1) (homosexual acts in private), the words “and Article 5 (merchant seamen)”; and

(b)article 5 (homosexual acts on merchant ships).

(2)Article 3(4) of the Homosexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 1982 (homosexual acts in the armed forces) is revoked.

(3)Nothing in this section shall prevent a homosexual act (with or without other acts or circumstances) from constituting a ground for discharging a member of Her Majesty’s armed forces from the service or dismissing a member of the crew of a United Kingdom merchant ship from his ship or, in the case of a member of Her Majesty’s armed forces, where the act occurs in conjunction with other acts or circumstances, from constituting an offence under the Army Act 1955, the Air Force Act 1955 or the Naval Discipline Act 1957.

Expressions used in this subsection and any enactment repealed by this section have the same meaning in this subsection as in that enactment.

In section 80(6) of the M10Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 (which defines “homosexual act” for the purpose of section 80), after “gross indecency” there is inserted “ or shameless indecency ”.