§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many episodes of injury attributable to excessive heat or insolation have occurred to members of the forces since 1978 and the last year for which figures are available; how many of these occurred during military exercises and other forms of training; and how many deaths were recorded from such causes in the same period.
§ Mr. NeubertThe figures requested relating to episodes of injury and death attributable to excessive heat or insolation within the Services area are as follows:
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1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 Total 1978–88 Injuries only (males and females) Tri-Service Total 25 42 51 26 34 86 83 73 81 100 62 663 Non accidental 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Accidental: Off duty 2 3 8 4 9 9 6 6 11 6 2 66 Exercises 4 16 7 4 4 15 13 12 4 21 12 112 Other training 6 6 23 11 12 44 48 28 46 54 23 301 Other on duty 3 16 12 7 9 18 16 27 20 19 25 172 Not known on/off 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 Fatalities only (males and females) Tri-Service Total 2 2 3 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 12 Non accidental 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Accidental: Off duty 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Exercises 1 2 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 7 Other training 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 Other on duty 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Not known on/off 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the forces have(a) collapsed and (b) died while taking part in a mud run in the last five years.
§ Mr. NeubertStatistical information specifically relating to injuries on the mud run is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Only one death is recorded in the period 1983–88 which can be attributed to a mud run.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service men taking part in the combat fitness test have collapsed and required medical attention; and how many have died, since April 1984.
§ Mr. NeubertStatistical information specifically relating to the combat fitness test is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if external medical advice has been sought regarding health dangers from mud runs.
§ Mr. NeubertNo, but due consideration is given by tri-service medical authorities to any advice or information, from whatever source, which might prove beneficial to the health and safety of service personnel.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions when there has been a collapse of a service man due to heatstroke, disciplinary action has been brought against the senior or junior officers involved.
§ Mr. NeubertNone over the last 10 years for which records are available.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information was given to the family and the solicitor of Sub-Lieutenant Simon Rowland regarding the circumstances of his collapse; and if he intends to make publicly available any information on this case of heatstroke.
§ Mr. NeubertNo approach has been made to my Department by a solicitor acting on behalf of Sub-Lieutenant Rowland. My officials have, however, written to Mr. and Mrs. Rowland to say that a full and120W comprehensive summary of the Board of Inquiry report will be sent to them as soon as it is possible to do so. It is not Ministry of Defence policy to release outside the Department information of a personal or medical nature, other than to the person concerned or to the nominated next of kin.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what medical advice he has received regarding the body temperature likely to be generated on a mud run.
§ Mr. NeubertAdvice relating to heat injury, its prediction, prevention and treatment is provided by the defence medical services. It does not specifically relate to mud runs.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with the disciplinary investigation that was ordered after the collapse from heatstroke of Sub-Lieutenant Simon Rowland.
§ Mr. NeubertAs a result of the Board of Inquiry held to consider the collapse of Sub-Lieutenant Rowland, the Flag Officer Naval Air Command directed that the Naval Provost Marshall carry out a disciplinary investigation. The report has now been received and is being studied by the Flag Officer Naval Air Command. A decision on any further action will be made as soon as possible.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will introduce automatic courts-martial of training instructors in all cases of death or permanent injury due to heatstroke in training or assessments.
§ Mr. NeubertNo. In any such case it is the responsibility of the relevant service authority to determine what, if any, disciplinary action should be taken.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how his Department defines episodes of injury attributable to excessive heat or insolation.
§ Mr. NeubertThe Department defines "episodes of injury attributable to excessive heat or insulation" with reference to two statistical classifications; the "Manual of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, 121W Injuries and Causes of Death (ICD)" and the "NATO Armed Forces Supplement to the Manual of the ICD: External Cause of Injury Code, STANAG 2050".
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what cause of death was given by the post mortem in the case of Timothy Lester, a sapper in the Royal Engineers who died in a British military hospital in Hanover, West Germany, on 27 May 1989; and how his death was recorded.
§ Mr. NeubertThe report of a post mortem examination on Sapper Timothy Lester recorded the cause of death as shown by examination appearing to be:
which was recorded on the death certificate.
- (a) cerebral oedema
- (b) hepato-renal failure
- (c) heat-stroke injury
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the case of the lieutenant in REME who died in Hong Kong on 11 July 1980 was included in the figure of 11 deaths from heatstroke given in the letter of 29 June 1988 to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South.
§ Mr. NeubertYes.