HL Deb 27 March 1998 vol 587 cc265-6WA
Lord Burton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many weapons were stolen from, or were unaccounted for by, the Army in: (a) England; (b) Wales; (c) Scotland; (d) Northern Ireland, in each of the past 10 years. [HL 994]

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

Details of the number of Army weapons, reported to the Royal Military Police (RMP) as stolen or missing, worldwide, by members of the Regular Army and Territorial Army in each of the last 10 years, are set out in the table below, which includes losses in Northern Ireland. A number of these weapons have subsequently been recovered.

Records of the country in which individual weapons were lost are not held, and this information could only be provided by manual review of each record and at disproportionate cost.

Year All Weapons stolen/missing
1988 12
1989 12
1990 9
1991 11
1992 10
1993 3
1994 19
1995 9
1996 18
1997 4
Total 107

Notes

Includes: pistols, rifles, light machine guns and sub-machine guns.

Excludes: Army Cadet and Combined Cadet Force weapons, air rifles, weapons rendered safe, imitations and ammunition.