§ Mr. David AtkinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of those service personnel who have served in Northern Ireland since 1969 are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SoamesThe information requested is not available, as medical data in the services are not recorded in a way which allows episodes of illness or injury to be linked with operational deployment.
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the date, location and circumstances of each incident involving inadvertent release of weaponry from350W military aircraft outside weapons range areas in the United Kingdom over the last three years.
§ Mr. SoamesThe information requested is shown. All four occurrences involved inadvertent release of inert practice weapons into areas where public access is controlled because of known military activity.
Date Location Circumstances Royal Air Force 25 January 1993 RAF Marham Practice bomb fell from a Tornado GR1 during take-off and landed on the runway. Fleet Air Arm 6 October 1992 English Channel (Portland Exercise Area) Drill missile released from a Lynx in error during simulated attack. 30 March 1993 English Channel (Plymouth Exercise Area) Drill missile released from a Lynx in error during simulated attack. 19 May 1994 Firth of Clyde (Clyde Exercise Area) Practice torpedo slipped from recovery equipment during transit by Sea King to beaching site.