Explanatory note

These Regulations make provision in respect of enlistment of recruits and generally for the carrying into effect of Part 1 of the Air Force Act 1955. They revoke and replace the Air Force Act 1955 (Part 1) Regulations 2001 (as amended), which Regulations were not made by statutory instrument but were amended by statutory instrument in 2003 (S.I. 2003/786). The principal changes are:

Regulation 3(4) enables a Commander-in-Chief specified as the competent air force authority to authorise discharge under Schedule 1 to these Regulations to authorise Commanding Officers not below the rank of Group Captain to act on his behalf as the competent air force authority for the purposes of Schedule 1 to these Regulations.

Regulation 5, Part 1 of Schedule 1 and Part 1 of the form in Schedule 2 reflect changes in nomenclature.

Schedule 2 contains the Royal Air Force Notice Paper to be given to a person offering to enlist in the regular air force in accordance with section 2(1) of the Air Force Act 1955. The Notice Paper reflects changes to Royal Air Force terms of service that will come into force on 1st April 2007 by virtue of the Royal Air Force Terms of Service Regulations 2007. These provide for a new type of engagement with the Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service, the Open Engagement, and also provide that, for all personnel enlisting on or after 1st April 2007, the term of their enlistment will run from the date of their attestation, irrespective of their age. For those men who enlisted before 1st April 2007 and those women who enlisted on or after 1st April 1975 and before 1st April 2007, and before the date of their 18th birthday, the term of their enlistment runs from the date of their 18th birthday.

A full regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as it has no impact on the costs of business.