Reserve Forces Act 1996

The Reserve Forces Act 1996 (c. 14) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that provides for the maintenance and composition of the reserve forces of the Crown.

Reserve Forces Act 1996^[1]

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to make provision with respect to the reserve forces of the Crown and persons liable to be recalled for permanent service; to amend the provisions of the Reserve Forces Act 1980 relating to the lieutenancies; to amend the law relating to the postponement of the discharge or transfer to the reserve of regular servicemen; and for connected purposes.
Citation	1996 c. 14
Territorial extent	Northern Ireland[2] and the rest of the United Kingdom.[3] Isle of Man, subject to exceptions and modifications.[4] Certain provisions in sections 51, 52 and 110, and in Part VII, are extended to the Channel Islands by sections 51(4), 52(9), 77(1) and 110(4).
Dates
Royal assent	22 May 1996
Other legislation
Amends	Reserve Forces Act 1980
Repeals/revokes	Home Guard Act 1951 Reserve Forces Act 1982
Status: Current legislation
Text of statute as originally enacted
Text of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

Composition of the reserve

The Reserve Forces comprise:

• The Reserve Naval and Marine Forces - the Royal Fleet Reserve, the Royal Naval Reserve, and the Royal Marines Reserve.
• The Reserve Land Forces - the Army Reserve (Regular) and the Territorial Army (now known as the Army Reserve).
• The Reserve Air Forces - the Air Force Reserve and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force.

The Royal Fleet Reserve, the Army Reserve, and the Air Force Reserve are the Regular Reserve forces, comprising men and women who previously served in the regular forces and are liable for recall to active duty as reservists.

The Royal Naval Reserve, the Territorial Army, and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force are the Volunteer Reserve forces, comprising men and women who are members of the volunteer forces and liable to be called for active duty.

In addition the Act allows for the use of Sponsored Reserves whose employer enters into a contract with the Ministry of Defence to provide personnel to carry out specialist tasks as part of the armed forces. Examples are the Mobile Meteorological Unit, some of the staff on Royal Air Force transport aircraft (non flight crew) and some fleet container transport ships.