Written question asked by Ian Gibson (Labour) on Wednesday, 7 December 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 12 December 2005. It was answered by Lord Reid of Cardowan (Labour) on Thursday, 2 February 2006 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.
Iraq
- Question
- To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British soldiers have been wounded in Iraq; how many were returned home as a result of their injuries; and whether his Department keeps records of their geographical location in the UK when they return.
- Answer
-
[holding answers 20 December 2005 and 26 January2006]: Centrally available records show that some 230 UK personnel have been treated at UK medical facilities in theatre for wounds received as a result of hostile action between March 2003 and December 2005¹.Our Notification of Casualty reporting records also allow us to give a figure for those categorised in theatre as Very Seriously Ill/Injured/Wounded (VSI), meaning that their life was imminently endangered. Some 40 personnel were categorised as VSI as a result of injury or wounds, however caused, in Iraq between March 2003 and December 2005².Separate records show that between February 2003 and December 2005 some 4,000 military and civilian personnel (including a few Iraqis) have been medically evacuated from theatre. The great majority of cases were due to illness or accidental injury and not as a result of hostile action.The MOD intends to publish casualty figures for Iraq on the MOD website in the next few weeks, identifying the number of personnel categorised as ““Seriously Injured”” and ““Very Seriously Injured””. The figures will be updated regularly. I will write to inform the hon. and right hon. Members prior to the first publication.The Ministry of Defence keeps records of all armed forces personnel currently serving and where they are located. The Veterans Agency maintains up to date records of those troops that have been medically discharged in order to pay their medical pensions."¹ Before October 2004, we only have centrally held records for the Shaibah UK Field Hospital. The figure does not include, for example, UK casualties of hostile action who were treated either by other UK Field Hospitals (early stages of operation only—for which unit records are not held centrally) or by coalition partners, or those with more minor injuries who did not receive Field Hospital treatment. From October 2004, the figure relates to all those wounded who were treated in any of the UK medical facilities in the UK-led Multi-National Division South East MND(SE) area. This figure excludes any personnel who subsequently died."² The VSI figure excludes any personnel who subsequently died.
Secondary information
- Type
- Written question
- Reference
- 36699; 442 c704-5W;442 c704-5W
- Session
- 2005-06
- Related items
- Subjects
- Armed forces Injuries Iraq Peacekeeping operations Location
- Link
- View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk
Librarians' tools
- Timestamp
- 2013-11-25 05:55:15 +0000
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