Reserve Forces Act 1996

Maintenance and composition

1Power to maintain the reserve forces

(1)Her Majesty may maintain each of the reserve forces in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

(2)In this Act“the reserve forces” means the following forces—

(a)the Royal Fleet Reserve, the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Marines Reserve (the reserve naval and marine forces;

(b)the Army Reserve and the Territorial Army (the reserve land forces); and

(c)the Air Force Reserve and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (the reserve air forces).

2Membership of the reserve forces

(1)The reserve forces shall each consist of officers and men.

(2)The men of the Royal Fleet Reserve, the Army Reserve and the Air Force Reserve (referred to in this Act as“the ex-regular reserve forces”) may only be—

(a)men transferred to that force under the [1955 c. 18.] Army Act 1955, the [1955 c. 19.] Air Force Act 1955 or regulations under the [1966 c. 45.] Armed Forces Act 1966, as the case may be;

(b)men enlisted or re-engaged in that force.

(3)The men of the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Marines Reserve, the Territorial Army and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (referred to in this Act as“the volunteer reserve forces”) may only be men enlisted or re-engaged in that force.

(4)In this Act, any reference (however expressed) to a man of any of the reserve forces is a reference to a person of either sex who is a member of that force and is of or below the rate or rank of warrant officer.

3Control of numbers in the reserve forces

(1)Parliament shall authorise a maximum number of officers and a maximum number of men for each of the reserve forces; and, accordingly, the numbers of officers and men of a reserve force shall not exceed the numbers for the time being authorised for the force.

(2)The special members of a reserve force shall not be reckoned in the numbers of officers and men for the time being authorised for the force under this section.