Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government plans to require his Department to publish statistics on sexual assault and rape, including the number of cases (a) referred to the service police, (b) prosecuted and (c) resulting in conviction.

The Ministry of Defence has made it absolutely clear there is no place for unacceptable behaviour in the Armed Forces. We recognise the great courage it takes to come forward and report a sexual offence and Commanding Officers must always refer any allegation of rape and sexual assault, or any other offence which may have a sexual element, to the Service Police. All allegations are thoroughly investigated, and support provided to victims. Anyone found to fall short of the Services' high standards or to have committed an offence is dealt with appropriately, which may include imprisonment and dismissal from service.

Defence publishes annual official statistics on sexual offending in the Service Justice System, available from the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sexual-offences-in-the-service-justice-system

Defence also publishes the Court martial results from the military court centres, which includes sexual offences, available from the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/court-martial-results-from-the-military-court-centres