Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cases of suicide by serving armed forces personnel occurred between 1 October 2008 and 31 December 2012.

Between 1 October 2008 and 31 December 2012, there were 49 Coroner - confirmed suicides amongst UK Armed Forces personnel.

The most recent detailed analysis of this issue, in the National Statistics' publication Suicide and Open Verdict Deaths in the UK Regular Armed Forces 1984 - 2013 indicated a declining trend in all three services.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing our service personnel with the best possible quality of mental health and welfare support. Commanding officers in each of the services are given clear guidance on the management of individuals who are potentially vulnerable or at risk for a variety of reasons, including the risk of suicide or deliberate self-harm.