legislation & policy

Recruitment at any price

Our response to the Public Accounts Committee have today published their report Skill Shortages in the Armed Forces, which makes a number of problematic recommendations that put the military's operational needs over other considerations.

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Parliamentary mental health inquiry shows youngest military recruits and those from disadvantaged backgrounds face greater mental health risks than others in the forces

The Defence Select Committee recommended that the Ministry of Defence ‘conducts or commissions further research into female personnel, early Service leavers and recruits under 18 to determine the extent to which they are at higher risk of developing mental health conditions.’

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Submission to the Human Rights and the Scottish Parliament inquiry

This submission made by ForcesWatch and Quakers in Scotland to the Scottish Parliament's human rights inquiry details our concerns around the need for regulation and transparent accountability of military activities in schools, the lack of education about peace and human rights, and the continued recruitment of children into the UK armed forces.

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‘Testing the Argument’: MSPs call for report into military visits in Scotland’s schools

Members of the Scottish Parliament have agreed to produce a report into military visits in Scotland’s schools in a response to our petition on the issue.

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Harrogate abuse court martials

On the day that the Harrogate abuse court martials were dropped and the press was allowed to comment after reporting restrictions were lifted, there was coverage in almost all the major news outlets. Our comments, and those of partner organisations, were also reported.

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‘Selling the Myth’

We report on a recent meeting in Parliament with a range of speakers on the urgent need to raise the age of recruitment to the armed forces in the UK.

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Making it 18 – the SNP votes yes to raising the age of recruitment

Douglas Beattie reports on an important campaigning moment.

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Why We Must Take Children Out Of Military Environments

With former 17 former Army Foundation College Harrogate instructors facing court martial for mistreating recruits- including actual bodily harm and battery, we look at the evidence that military environment facilitate threats to child welfare. This article was first published on Huffington Post

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The First Ambush: Effects of army training and employment

This report from Veterans For Peace UK details how the Army's training process has a forceful impact on attitudes, health, and behaviour even before recruits are sent to war. The findings show that military training and culture combine with pre-existing issues (such as a childhood history of anti-social behaviour) to increase the risk of violence and alcohol misuse. Traumatic war experiences further exacerbate the problem.

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Academics: Armed forces are no place for 16-year-olds

A letter to the Guardian (12/09/17) from more than 50 academics has called for the age of recruitment ot the UK armed forces to be raised to 18. It backs a conference motion from SNP Youth in support of this.

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