Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the number of UK veterans who have committed suicide (a) in the most recent year for which information is available and (b) in the last five years.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Government takes the welfare of Service personnel and veterans very seriously. Any suicide is one too many and a tragedy for the individual, and their family and friends. Whilst we recognise this is a problem in wider society, we take the wellbeing of our Armed Forces very seriously.
Suicide data for veterans of the UK Armed Forces is not currently captured by the Government. The recently announced Veterans Strategy will seek to improve data collection of the veteran community.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has commissioned a new study to investigate causes of death, including suicide, amongst all those who served in the UK Armed Forces between 2001 and 2014, covering combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan at this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-study-into-iraq-and-afghanistan-veterans-launched
This will include personnel who are still in service, and personnel who have now transitioned into civilian life.
The MOD also publishes studies on the causes of death, including suicide, of veterans from the 1982 Falklands war at the following links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/causes-of-deaths-among-the-uk-armed-forces-veterans-of-the-1982-falklands-campaign
and from the 1990-91 Gulf war
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/causes-of-deaths-that-occurred-among-the-uk-veterans-of-the-199091-gulf-conflict
Both studies show that the suicide rates amongst veterans were lower than comparative rates in the civilian population.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of staff employed by his Department are apprentices.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
As at 31 January 2019, 1,280 Ministry of Defence civilian personnel were employed on an apprenticeship scheme, which represents some 2.3 per cent of the civilian workforce.
In addition, there are some 20,000 Armed Forces personnel undertaking apprenticeships at any one time.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of the staff employed by his Department are apprentices.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
As of 6 March 2018, 836 Ministry of Defence civilian personnel are employed on an apprenticeship scheme. This represents 1.8% of the total civilian personnel workforce.
In addition, there are around 20,000 Armed Forces personnel undertaking apprenticeships at any one time, around 14% of the Armed Forces.