HC Deb 15 October 2002 vol 390 cc555-6W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what investigation was held into the death of Sapper Alfred Graham Manship of 26 Amphibious Regiment Royal Engineers in 1992 in Osnabruck, West Germany; how long the investigation took; when the investigation ended; who conducted the investigation; what the conclusion of the investigation was; and if he will make a statement. [73822]

Dr. Moonie

The Special Investigation Branch of the Royal Military Police (SIB RMP) was responsible for investigating the death of Sapper Manship in Osnabruck, Germany, in 1992. The investigation began when the SIB RMP was informed of Sapper Manship's death in the early hours of Monday 6 April 1992 and was completed on 16 April 1992. The investigation was led by an experienced SIB RMP investigator of the rank of Staff Sergeant and, as for all SIB RMP inquiries, was overseen by the Officer Commanding the SIB RMP Detachment. The investigation concluded that there was no evidence to indicate foul play and that Sapper Manship had taken his own life.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the period of time was between the discovery of the body of Sapper Alfred Graham Manship of 26 Amphibious Regiment Royal Engineers in 1992 in Osnabruck, West Germany and(a) a doctor being called to attend the scene and (b) a doctor arriving on the scene; and if he will make a statement. [73820]

Dr. Moonie

Sapper Manship's body was discovered by another soldier at approximately 0237hrs on 6 April 1992. The emergency services were summoned and a doctor attended the scene at around 0255hrs. Sapper Manship was declared dead at the scene at 0258hrs.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the weapon of Sapper Alfred Graham Manship of 26 Amphibious Regiment Royal Engineers was found to have been fired when examined after his death in 1992 in Osnabruck, West Germany; and if he will make a statement. [73821]

Dr. Moonie

Following the certification of death of Sapper (Spr) Manship, his weapon was recovered from the scene and handed to the Class 1 Armourer at 25 Regiment Royal Engineers for examination. The practice of submitting weapons subject to investigation to qualified personnel outside the unit in whose charge they are is standard for Royal Military Police (RMP) investigations.

In the statement recorded from the Armourer, he opined that the weapon was found to be serviceable and no faults could be discovered in its mechanical function. The Armourer did not make any specific reference to whether the weapon had been fired.

RMP enquiries established that Spr Manship had been issued with an SA80 Assault Rifle, plus 30 rounds of ammunition for his guard duty. The batch number of the spent ammunition recovered from the scene was found to be that of the ammunition issued to Spr Manship. In view of this, the location of the wound site, and all other enquiries conducted, the RMP investigating officer concluded that the submission of the weapon or spent ammunition to scientific analysis would not achieve any investigative purpose and would serve only to delay the release of Spr Manship's body to his family.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the(a) cause, (b) circumstances and (c) coroner's verdict on the death of Sapper Alfred Graham Manship of the 26 Amphibious Regiment Royal Engineers in 1992 in Osnabruck West Germany. [73881]

Dr. Moonie

Sapper Manship died on 6 April 1992 from a single gunshot wound to the head whilst on guard duty at Woolwich Barracks, Osnabruck, Germany. Following the subsequent Post Mortem Examination, Sapper Manship's body was repatriated to Scotland from Germany and the Procurator Fiscal was informed of the death. Under the legislation which allows for the holding of a Fatal Accident Inquiry, the Procurator Fiscal will only hold such an inquiry where the death occurred in Scotland or on an offshore installation, aircraft or ship. Since the death did not occur within Scotland, the Procurator Fiscal did not hold an inquiry in this case; this decision was not within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defence.

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the result was of the post mortem conducted on Sapper Alfred Graham Manship of 26 Amphibious Regiment Royal Engineers after his death in 1992 in Osnabruck West Germany; and if he will make a statement. [73880]

Dr. Moonie

The Post Mortem Examination was conducted by the Consultant Pathologist at the British Military Hospital at Rinteln. On the death certificate, dated 6 April 1992, the cause of death was recorded as Gunshot Head Injuries.