§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of personnel have(a) committed suicide and (b) suffered a fatal accident in each of the armed services in each of the past seven years; and if he will make a statement. [20033]
§ Mr. Soames[holding answer 13 March 1997]: 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.
507WLetter from Mr. Paul Atobell to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 18 March 1997:
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the percentages of personnel in the Services who have committed suicide or died as result of an accident since 1990. As Chief Executive of Defence Analytical Services Agency this matter falls within my area of responsibility.
The percentage of armed forces personnel who committed suicide or who were killed in accidents from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 1996 (based on information reported to DASA as at 3 March 1997) 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 Tri-service1 Average strength (000s)2 311.1 305.4 296.9 276.3 254.1 234.9 224.1 Coroner verdicts of suicide (number) 42 34 30 323 329 318 35 Percentage 0.014 0.011 0.010 30.008 30.011 30.008 30.002 Accidents (number) 159 141 124 129 107 101 75 Percentage 0.051 0.046 0.042 0.047 0.042 0.043 0.033 Navy Average strength (000s)2 62.7 62.3 61.5 58.4 54.4 50.2 47.1 Coroner verdicts of suicide (number) 8 5 6 1 6 1 32 Percentage 0.013 0.008 0.010 0.002 0.011 0.002 30.004 Accidents (number) 22 26 21 34 11 16 13 Percentage 0.035 0.042 0.034 0.058 0.020 0.032 0.028 1Includes Gurkhas. 2Average strength calculated by taking the strength at 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, 1 October of the year in question and 1 January the following year, divided by five. Strength shown in thousands. 3The numbers and percentages of suicides are provisional, representing the current known position, based on medical events data supplied to DASA as at 3 March 1997. These figures are subject to change once coroners' verdicts have been made and information becomes available.
The percentage of armed forces personnel who committed suicide or who were killed in accidents from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 1996 (based on information reported to DASA as at 3 March 1997) 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 Army1 Average strength (000s)2 159.1 155.3 150.9 138.5 125.6 114.7 113.4 Coroner verdicts of suicide (number) 20 22 19 18 318 315 33 Percentage 0.013 0.014 0.013 0.013 30.014 30.013 30.003 Accidents (number) 92 91 75 65 71 55 46 Percentage 0.058 0.059 0.050 0.047 0.057 0.048 0.041 RAF Average strength (000s)2 89.3 87.8 84.5 79.4 74.1 70.0 63.6 Coroner verdicts of suicide (number) 14 7 5 34 35 32 30 Percentage 0.016 0.008 0.006 30.005 30.007 30.003 30.000 Accidents (number) 45 24 28 30 25 30 16 Percentage 0.050 0.027 0.033 0.038 0.034 0.043 0.025 1Includes Gurkhas. 2Average strength calculated by taking the strength at 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, 1 October of the year in question and 1 January the following year, divided by five. Strength shown in thousands. 3The numbers and percentages of suicides are provisional, representing the current known position, based on medical events data supplied to DASA as at 3 March 1997. These figures are subject to change once coroners' verdicts have been made and information becomes available.