Written question asked by Lord Harper (Conservative) on Tuesday, 5 December 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 12 December 2006. It was answered by Adam Ingram (Labour) on Monday, 18 December 2006 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Iraq and Afghanistan: Military Casualties

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK military service personnel have been wounded and (a) returned to duty and (b) not returned to duty in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan since the commencement of operations.

Answer: [holding answer 12 December 2006]: The Ministry of Defence publishes data on battle and non-battle casualties that have resulted from our operations in Iraq from March 2003 and Afghanistan from 1 January 2006. The best centrally available casualty statistics can be found on the Ministry of Defence website (http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets). Work is continuing to ascertain whether casualty data for Afghanistan pre-2006 is sufficiently robust to enable figures to be published in the same format as those for Iraq.Statistics on how many service personnel have returned to, or not returned to duty following injury are not held centrally. However, the Department is examining this as part of the process of refining its casualty data, which may take some months. When it is complete, I will write to the hon. Member with the answer he has requested and place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

Secondary information