HC Deb 15 February 1988 vol 127 c445W
Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers are currently receiving electroconvulsive therapy for depression.

Mr. Freeman

There are no case currently being treated by the Army medical services.

Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers who have applied to leave Her Majesty's forces over the past 12 months have been found to be suffering from depression and received medical treatment as a result.

Mr. Freeman

No cases of depression have been found specifically as a result of soldiers applying to leave the Army over the past 12 months. However, within that period there have been 13 cases of soldiers in service being found to be suffering from severe depression who were subsequently medically discharged following counselling and treatment.

Date Greater London Rest of England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland
1 January 1980 29,763.0 154,087.0 7,363.5 19,467.5 3,231.0
1 January 1981 27,742.5 147,504.0 7,514.5 19,292.5 3,086.5
1 January 1982 26,694.5 140,339.0 7,222.5 18,655.5 2,946.5
1 January 1983 25,074.5 132,877.0 7,059.5 18,335.0 2,825.0
1 January 1984 24,721.5 126,221.0 6,834.0 18,594.0 2,760.5
1 January 1985 22,332.0 120,922.0 6,631.0 18,398.5 2,708.5
1 January 1986 21,090.5 117,966.0 6,338.0 18,032.5 2,693.0
1 January 1987 20,373.0 114,038.0 6,137.5 18,130.5 2,621.0
1 January 1988 19,268.5 99,518.0 5,759.5 12,268.0 2,618.0

For the purposes of consistency and comparability the above figures exclude personnel employed at royal ordnance factories, which changed to independent Companies Act status on 2 January 1985.

Some 10,800 of the reduction in numbers in the rest of England between January 1987 and January 1988 was due to the transfer of royal dockyard staff to commercial management on 6 April 1987, and some 5,700 of the reduction in Scotland between the same dates was due to the similar transfer of Royal Dockyard Rosyth staff.

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