Written question asked by Lord Laird (Ulster Unionist Party), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Baroness Taylor of Bolton (Labour) on Wednesday, 9 December 2009.

Armed Forces: Fatalities

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 12 November (WA 184–5), whether the 655 deaths in Northern Ireland includes those in the Ulster Defence Regiment and the Royal Irish Rifles; whether it includes those who died in accidents or abroad; and why it differs from a 2005 Ministry of Defence figure of 763 service deaths.

Answer: The 655 deaths in Northern Ireland is sourced by the Northern Ireland Police Service and includes any deaths that occurred to either Ulster Defence Regiment personnel or Royal Irish Rifles personnel. The figure is only for those that died as a result of terrorist action and for those that died in Northern Ireland. The figure of 763 deaths reported to have occurred in Northern Ireland is not an official MoD figure. This figure was derived from a list compiled by the Daily Telegraph and published in the book Lost lives: The story of the men, women and children who died as a result of the Northern Ireland troubles (Edited by D McKittrick, S Kelters, B Feeney, C Thornton, published 1999 Trafalgar Square, ISBN: 184018227X).

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 313; 715 c127WA
Session: 2009-10
Related items: Armed Forces: Fatalities
Thursday, 12 November 2009
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Armed forces Death Northern Ireland Ulster Defence Regiment
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk