HL Deb 20 April 1998 vol 588 c177WA
Lord Alderdice

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proportion of members of the reserve forces (a) throughout the United Kingdom and (b) in Northern Ireland have served with the regular forces in Bosnia. [HL1388]

The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Gilbert)

Since NATO operations began in December 1995, 2,520 members of the volunteer reserve forces and 744 members of the regular reserve forces have served in the former Yugoslavia. Respectively, these equate to about 4 per cent. and 1 per cent. of the average strengths of the volunteer reserve forces and the regular reserve forces. These figures include some individuals who have served more than one tour, but exclude those members of the volunteer reserve forces who left temporarily to join the regulars on special short service commissions or engagements. Reservists who have served in the former Yugoslavia have come from throughout the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland. The Ministry of Defence keeps no record of the areas of the United Kingdom from which reservists have been mobilised and the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.