Every study conducted by the Ministry of Defence has found that the risk of suicide amongst the Armed Forces community, including veterans of the 1982 Falkland and 1990-91 Gulf conflicts, is lower than amongst the general population.<\/p>
A considerable amount of work has already been undertaken to improve the mental health of Service personnel and to prevent suicide and suicide risk. This includes tackling stigma through education and providing easily accessible, rapid and flexible access to mental health support and healthcare services. Armed Forces personnel undergo "through life" psychological resilience training which enables them to recognise and manage stress in themselves and in their colleagues and actively encourages them to seek help at an early stage.<\/p>
However, we continue to look at what more can done. This includes a focused review by the Defence Safety Authority of suicide in Service personnel to identify additional measures for preventing suicide. The review was published on 9 November 2018 by the Defence Safety Authority and work to take forward the recommendations has commenced.<\/p>
We have less influence on individuals' behaviour once they are discharged from the Armed Forces, as their mental healthcare becomes the responsibility of the National Health Service in the UK. There are many factors that can result in suicide such as relationship breakdown, debt and employment concerns, not only service in the Armed Forces.<\/p>
However, we are not complacent. Any suicide is one too many and a tragedy for the individual, their family, friends and colleagues.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bournemouth East"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Tobias Ellwood"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-11T16:15:29.5Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Army: Suicide"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to tackle the matter of soldiers taking their own life (a) during and (b) after active service.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"} ], "uin" : "199402"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1020229", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1020229/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Cabinet Office records indicate that the Armed Forces Covenant Reference Group met three times in each year.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bournemouth East"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Tobias Ellwood"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-10T16:14:34.74Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Armed Forces Covenant"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times the Armed Forces Covenant Reference Group met in (a) 2017 and (b) 2018.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1409", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Londonderry"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Gregory Campbell"} ], "uin" : "199321"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1020255", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1020255/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The number and estimated value of void properties in Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland can be found in the table below.<\/p>
<\/p>
Wales<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Annington Leased<\/p><\/td> MOD owned<\/p><\/td> Other<\/p><\/td> Total <\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> Total voids<\/p><\/td> 244<\/p><\/td> 7<\/p><\/td> 3<\/p><\/td> 254<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Average estimated value per property<\/p><\/td> £127,000<\/p><\/td> £85,000<\/p><\/td> Not held<\/p><\/td> £212,000<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Total Estimated Value<\/p><\/td> £30,988,000<\/p><\/td> £595,000<\/p><\/td> Not held<\/p><\/td> £31,583,000<\/p><\/td><\/tr> England<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Annington Leased<\/p><\/td> MOD owned<\/p><\/td> Other<\/p><\/td> Total<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> Total voids<\/p><\/td> 8,222<\/p><\/td> 704<\/p><\/td> 383<\/p><\/td> 9,309<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Average estimated value per property<\/p><\/td> £157,000<\/p><\/td> £236,600<\/p><\/td> Not held<\/p><\/td> £393,600<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Total Estimated Value<\/p><\/td> £1,290,854,000<\/p><\/td> £166,566,400<\/p><\/td> Not held<\/p><\/td> £1,457,420,400<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Scotland<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Annington Leased<\/p><\/td> MOD owned<\/p><\/td> Other<\/p><\/td> Total<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> Total voids<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td> 1,056<\/p><\/td> 60<\/p><\/td> 1,116<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Average estimated value per property<\/p><\/td> £0<\/p><\/td> £161,000<\/p><\/td> Not held<\/p><\/td> £161,000<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Total Estimated Value<\/p><\/td> £0<\/p><\/td> £170,016,000<\/p><\/td> Not held<\/p><\/td> £17,016,000<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Northern Ireland<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Annington Leased<\/p><\/td> MOD owned<\/p><\/td> Other<\/p><\/td> Total<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> Total voids<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td> 902<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td> 902<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Average estimated value per property<\/p><\/td> £0<\/p><\/td> £82,000<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td> £82,000<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Total Estimated Value<\/p><\/td> £0<\/p><\/td> £73,964,000<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td> £73,964,000<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> A percentage of the Department\u2019s housing stock needs to be void when it is between occupants, for essential maintenance and repair and to ensure that the Armed Forces are able to move units and individuals around the country as required. We have previously estimated the management margin required as around 10%.<\/p> <\/p> Approximately half of the void properties in the table have been identified for disposal, or are being retained to ensure homes are available to meet rebasing plans as part of the Defence Estate Optimisation Programme, including the rebasing of around 4,000 personnel from Germany. In addition, the Department is reducing the number of voids by sub-letting properties on the open market. Some 3,217 void properties are awaiting letting.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bournemouth East"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Tobias Ellwood"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-14T13:53:49.303Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ministry of Defence: Empty Property"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) number and (b) value of empty homes in the Ministry of Defence estate in (i) Wales, (ii) England, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4630", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ben Lake"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ceredigion"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ben Lake"}
], "uin" : "199469"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1020257", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1020257/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The information is not held by the Department in the format requested.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bournemouth East"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Tobias Ellwood"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-11T16:24:47.357Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ministry of Defence: Empty Property"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) number and (b) value of empty homes in the Ministry of Defence estate in each parliamentary constituency.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4630", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ben Lake"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ceredigion"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ben Lake"}
], "uin" : "199470"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1020266", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1020266/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is compliant with its obligations under the Equality Act 2010. Detailed data on religion, ethnicity and sexual orientation is collected for MOD civilian staff and is used to inform policy decisions. However, statistics published by Defence are required to strike a balance between transparency and usability. I am satisfied that the MOD\u2019s statistical outputs are clear and concise and inform users of the overall patterns in the data. The inclusion of small sub-categories of non-Christian staff and Christian denominations would not add any additional benefit to the analysis provided in the Civilian Personnel Biannual Diversity Dashboard (CPBDD), and would make the document far longer and more difficult to understand as the small sub-sets would likely be represented by a series of dashes and tildes, representing zeroes and numbers less than five. In addition, the same granular approach would necessarily have to be taken with the BAME, and sexual orientation categories.<\/p> <\/p> The CPBDD has been designated an Official Statistic by the United Kingdom Statistics Authority (UKSA) in accordance with the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007, meaning that Defence is required to publish the logic and overall methodology which can be found at the following link:<\/p> <\/p> |