HC Deb 13 July 1982 vol 27 cc343-4W
Mr. Peter Robinson

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Ulster Defence Regiment have been killed or injured (a) on duty and (b) off duty to date.

Mr. Wiggin

Twenty-four members of the Ulster Defence Regiment have been killed on duty and 99 whilst off duty, since the formation of the regiment. A further 252 members of the regiment have been injured by terrorist action: 134 of them on duty and 118 whilst they were off duty.

Mr. Peter Robinson

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the net increase or decrease in the numbers serving in the Ulster Defence Regiment in 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981, respectively.

Mr. Wiggin

The total strength of the Ulster Defence Regiment, excluding Regular Army personnel serving with the regiment, at 1 January each year was as follows:

Year Number
1978 7,843
1979 7,744
1980 7,414
1981 7,431
1982 7,294

The corresponding net variation in each year is as follows:

Minus Plus
1 January 1978—1 January 1979 99
1 January 1979—1 January 1980 330
1 January 1980—1 January 1981 17
1 January 1981—1 January 1982 137