§ Ms DrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many 16 and 17 year-olds have died while on service and in training in the UK armed forces since 1982; and if he will list the causes of death in each case. [92492]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonA total of 92 Service personnel who were aged 16 or 17 have died since 1 January 1982. Nearly half these deaths occurred off-duty, and the majority of these were as a result of traffic accidents. A summary of the information is as follows:
Cause of death Deaths Battle wound or injury Direct result of action by or against organised enemy 3 Other battle casualties 1 Intentional inflicted non-battle casualties Assault 11 Self-inflicted 29 Accidental injuries Off duty 342 Schemes and exercises 4 All other training 8 On duty 5 Natural causes (diseases) 419 All deaths 92 1 This death arose from a fight off duty 2 All self-inflicted deaths occurred off duty 3 35 of the deaths were as a result of RTAs 4 Includes one death as a result of heart failure that is recorded as occurring on duty