The Armed Forces (Service Complaints) Regulations 2015

Interpretation

2.—(1) In these Regulations—

“the Act” means the Armed Forces Act 2006;

“Ombudsman” means the Service Complaints Ombudsman;

“service complaints process” means the process for the redress of service complaints under Part 14A of the Act or under any previous process for the redress of individual grievances under Part 14 of the Act;

“specified officer” means, in relation to a service complaint, the officer determined in relation to that complaint in accordance with regulation 3;

“statement of complaint” means the statement referred to in regulation 4(1).

(2) In these Regulations, unless otherwise specified, a reference to a section is a reference to that section of the Act.

(3) The actions under these Regulations specified in paragraph (4) must be carried out by posting, sending electronically or delivering in person to the intended recipient.

(4) The actions specified in this paragraph are—

(a) notifying the complainant;

(b) the complainant making a service complaint;

(c) the complainant making an application to the Ombudsman;

(d) the complainant bringing an appeal;

(e) sending a draft copy of a decision or determination to a person under regulation 14(6);

(f) giving a notification under regulation 15.

(5) Any reference in these Regulations to the day on which a person received notification shall be deemed to be a reference to the second day after the day on which the notification was posted, sent electronically or delivered in person to the intended recipient.

(6) Where a complainant—

(a) makes a service complaint in accordance with regulation 4(1),

(b) makes an application to the Ombudsman under regulation 7(1),

(c) brings an appeal under regulation 10(1), or

(d) makes an application to the Ombudsman under regulation 12(1),

the complainant shall be deemed to have done so on the day on which the statement of complaint, application or, as the case may be, the appeal was posted, sent electronically or delivered in person to the recipient in accordance with the requirements of these Regulations.