HC Deb 04 March 1997 vol 291 cc590-2W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of each armed service have(a) been killed on active service, (b) been killed in accidents, (c) committed suicide and (d) died of natural causes in each of the last seven years. [17819]

Mr. Soames

[holding answer 27 February 1997]: This is a matter for the chief executive of the Defence Analytical Services Agency. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.

The number of deaths in the armed forces from 1 January 1990 to 3 March 1997 (based on information reported to DASA as at 3 March 1997)
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 to 3 March 1997 Total
Tri-service
Active service 10 38 5 7 8 0 3 0 71
Assault 2 4 2 0 5 4 0 0 17
Coroner verdicts of suicide 42 34 30 23 29 18 5 0 181
Other self inflicted1 4 7 6 10 2 23 17 0 69
Accidents 159 141 124 129 107 101 75 4 840
Natural causes 103 86 100 72 68 61 40 3 533
Details of causes not yet available 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 1 9
Total 320 310 267 241 219 207 148 8 1,720
Navy
Active service 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
Assault 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 3
Coroner verdicts of suicide 8 5 6 1 6 1 2 0 29
Other self inflicted1 1 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 5
Accidents 22 26 21 34 11 16 13 1 144
Natural causes 19 19 21 9 18 12 8 1 107
Details of causes not yet available 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3
Total 50 53 48 44 37 31 27 2 292

Note:

1This covers cases with open or misadventure coroner verdicts and those yet to be confirmed.

The number of deaths in the armed forces from 1 January 1990 to 3 March 1997 (based on information reported to DASA as at 3 March 1997)
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 to 3 March 1997 Total
Army1
Active service 10 33 5 7 7 0 3 0 65
Assault 2 3 2 0 4 3 0 0 14
Coroner verdicts of suicide 20 22 19 18 18 15 3 0 115
Other self inflicted2 3 4 4 4 1 17 13 0 46
Accidents 92 91 75 65 71 55 46 1 496
Natural causes 48 39 50 39 29 24 17 0 246
Details of causes not yet available 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 5
Total 175 192 155 133 130 114 87 1 987
RAF
Active service 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 5
Assault 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coroner verdicts of suicide 14 7 5 4 5 2 0 0 37
Other self inflicted2 0 1 2 6 1 5 3 0 18
Accidents 45 24 28 30 25 30 16 2 200
Natural causes 36 28 29 24 21 25 15 2 180
Unknown 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Total 95 65 64 64 52 62 34 5 441

Notes:

1Includes Gurkhas.

2'This covers cases with open or misadventure coroner verdicts and those yet to be confirmed.

Letter from Paul Altobell to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 4 March 1997: I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the number of personnel serving in the Armed Forces who have died since 1990 as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of Defence Analytical Services Agency. The information you request is detailed in the attached tables. I have listed deaths according to our standard classification system which I hope you will find useful as it gives slightly greater detail than requested in your question. You will also note that as well as giving figures for the last seven years I have included the position for the first three months of this year.