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Service Personnel

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of personnel have (a) committed suicide and (b) suffered a fatal accident in each of the armed services in each of the past seven years; and if he will make a statement. [20033]

Mr. Soames [holding answer 13 March 1997]: This is a matter for the chief executive of the Defence Analytical Services Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

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Letter from Mr. Paul Atobell to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 18 March 1997:


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The percentage of armed forces personnel who committed suicide or who were killed in accidents from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 1996 (based on information reported to DASA as at 3 March 1997)

1990199119921993199419951996
Tri-service(3)
Average strength (000s)(4)311.1305.4296.9276.3254.1234.9224.1
Coroner verdicts of suicide (number)423430(5)23(5)29(5)18(5)5
Percentage0.0140.0110.010(5)0.008(5)0.011(5)0.008(5)0.002
Accidents (number)15914112412910710175
Percentage0.0510.0460.0420.0470.0420.0430.033
Navy
Average strength (000s)(4)62.762.361.558.454.450.247.1
Coroner verdicts of suicide (number)856161(5)2
Percentage0.0130.0080.0100.0020.0110.002(5)0.004
Accidents (number)22262134111613
Percentage0.0350.0420.0340.0580.0200.0320.028

(3) Includes Gurkhas.

(4) Average strength calculated by taking the strength at 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, 1 October of the year in question and 1 January the following year, divided by five. Strength shown in thousands.

(5) The numbers and percentages of suicides are provisional, representing the current known position, based on medical events data supplied to DASA as at 3 March 1997. These figures are subject to change once coroners' verdicts have been made and information becomes available.

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The percentage of armed forces personnel who committed suicide or who were killed in accidents from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 1996 (based on information reported to DASA as at 3 March 1997)

1990199119921993199419951996
Army(6)
Average strength (000s)(7)159.1155.3150.9138.5125.6114.7113.4
Coroner verdicts of suicide (number)20221918(8)18(8)15(8)3
Percentage0.0130.0140.0130.013(8)0.014(8)0.013(8)0.003
Accidents (number)92917565715546
Percentage0.0580.0590.0500.0470.0570.0480.041
RAF
Average strength (000s)(7)89.387.884.579.474.170.063.6
Coroner verdicts of suicide (number)1475(8)4(8)5(8)2(8)0
Percentage0.0160.0080.006(8)0.005(8)0.007(8)0.003(8)0.000
Accidents (number)45242830253016
Percentage0.0500.0270.0330.0380.0340.0430.025

(6) Includes Gurkhas.

(7) Average strength calculated by taking the strength at 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, 1 October of the year in question and 1 January the following year, divided by five. Strength shown in thousands.

(8) The numbers and percentages of suicides are provisional, representing the current known position, based on medical events data supplied to DASA as at 3 March 1997. These figures are subject to change once coroners' verdicts have been made and information becomes available.

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Loan Service Personnel

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for 1991 those countries (a) where British service personnel categorised as loan service personnel were based and (b) in which training exercises took place involving British service personnel. [19914]

Mr. Soames: According to available records, in 1991 British loan service personnel were deployed in the following countries:


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The full records of exercises involving British service personnel in 1991 are not available. According to available records, British service personnel exercised in or with forces from the following countries and dependent territories in 1991:


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In addition, UK forces exercised with the states of the regional security system and the West Indies Guardship, as part of her routine deployment, would have exercised with many of the Caribbean countries and dependent territories.

Foreign Military Personnel (Training)

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign military personnel were in the United Kingdom undergoing military training on 1 March; and if he will list the countries from which they came. [20175]

Mr. Soames: According to our records, on 1 March 1997, a total of 831 military personnel from the following countries were attending training courses in the United Kingdom;


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In addition, an exercise involving some 2,021 personnel from Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and USA was taking place in UK waters on that date.

Gulf War

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each of the vaccinations administered to armed services personnel and medical

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support staff who served in Operation Granby, indicating the reasons in each case for the decision to administer the respective vaccination. [20454]

Mr. Soames: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) on 21 January 1997--Official Report, column 550.

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