§ Lord Lairdasked Her Majesty's Government:
How they will mark the murders of members of the Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Regiment since 1969. [HL4424]
§ Lord BachThe remembrance of soldiers from the Ulster Defence Regiment and latterly the Royal Irish Regiment (R IRISH) who have died not only as a result of terrorist action but also through a variety of other causes is an ongoing process involving the whole regimental family of the R IRISH.
There are permanent memorials of varying formats at regimental, battalion and company level and in addition there are annual memorial services at regimental and battalion level, as well as those held by antecedent regimental associations.
There is also practical support from battalions and regimental welfare aftercare teams. They make sure that bereaved families are included in appropriate regimental and battalion events, organised annual outings and holidays and that they are aware of specific support groups and the Regimental Benevolent Fund.
More generally, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced in another place on 20 March (Official Report, col. 313W) and 23 March (Official Report, col. 450–451W) that the New Armed Forces Memorial to all those who have been killed on duty or by terrorist attack since the Second World War will be located at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. The names of those commemorated will either be engraved on the memorial or in rolls of honour that will be kept close by in the millennium chapel at the arboretum. The design of the memorial will be decided later this year. Funds will be raised by public subscription.