Armed Services (Deaths) (Hansard, 13 March 1997)

§ Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 4 March,Official Report,

The number of armed forces personnel who died within the first six months of joining, 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	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Assault	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Coroner verdicts of suicide	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
Other self inflicted¹	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1
Accidents	3	4	4	2	1	2	4	0	20
Natural causes	1	3	3	0	0	2	1	0	10
Details of causes not yet available	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	7	7	7	2	1	5	5	0	34
Navy
Active service	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Assault	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Coroner verdicts of suicide	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Other self inflicted¹	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Accidents	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Natural causes	0	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	4
Details of causes not yet available	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	0	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	4
Army²
Active service	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Assault	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Coroner verdicts of suicide	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Other self inflicted¹	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1
Accidents	2	4	4	2	1	2	4	0	19
Natural causes	0	0	2	0	0	2	0	0	4
Details of causes not yet available	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	4	4	6	2	1	5	4	0	26

330W

columns 591–92, (1) if he will estimate how many members of each armed service have (a) been killed in accidents and (b) committed suicide during training periods in each of the last seven years; [19614]

(2) if he will estimate 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 within the first six months of joining, in each of the last seven years. [19613]

§ Mr. Soames

This is a matter for the chief executive of the Defence Analytical Services Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Paul Altobell to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 13 March 1997: I am replying to your two questions to the Secretary of State for Defence about the numbers of personnel in the Services who have (i) been killed in accidents during training periods, or committed suicide during training periods and (ii) died within the first six months of joining, since 1990. As Chief Executive of Defence Analytical Services Agency this matter falls within my area of responsibility. The information you request is detailed in the attached tables. In the first, I have shown those who died while on training, defined as basic training, assault course/parachute jumps and similar training, and exercises. In the second I have listed those who died within their first six months of joining, classified according to our standard classification system. Figures in both tables are for the same period, 1 January 1990 to 3 March 1997, as was covered in my letter to you of 3 March 1997. I am afraid our database does not contain the numbers of suicides which occurred during training. These could only be collected at disproportionate cost. As you are aware the overall numbers of suicides were contained in the table sent with my letter of 3 March 1997.

331W

The number of armed forces personnel who died within the first six months of joining, 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
RAF
Active service	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Assault	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Coroner verdicts of suicide	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Other self inflicted¹	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Accidents	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Natural causes	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2
Details of causes not yet available	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	4
¹This covers cases with open or misadventure coroner verdicts and those yet to be confirmed.
²Includes Gurkhas.

Armed forces personnel killed in accidents while on training¹(from 1 January 1990 to 3 March 1997) (based on information reported to DASA as at 3 March 1997)
	Navy	Army²	RAF	Total
1990	0	5	2	7
1991	1	8	0	9
1992	0	9	0	9
1993	6	2	0	8
1994	0	7	0	7
1995	1	3	0	4
1996	0	1	0	1
1997 to 3 March 1997	0	0	0	0
Total	8	35	2	45
¹Training defined using the NATO STANAG for classification of disease, injuries and causes of death as basic training, assault courses/parachute jumps etc, and exercises.
²Includes Gurkhas.