asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers serving in Northern Ireland since 1st January 1970 have been invalided out of the Army as a result of being shot, negligently, by a fellow soldier; and in how many such cases the negligent soldier has been tried summarily for the offence.

Statistical information is not maintained in this form and could not be obtained without disproportionate effort.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldier have been accidentally shot and wounded by their fellow soldiers in Northern Ireland since 1st January 1970; and how many have been seriously wounded and how many slightly wounded.

Statistical information is not available in this form and could not be obtained without disproportionate effort.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, since 1st January 1970, all soldiers who have negligently shot and wounded a fellow soldier, have been charged and tried either summarily or by courts martial; and how many of those charged with negligence in these circumstances have had the charges dealt with by their commanding officers and how many by courts martial.

Cases involving the accidental discharge of weapons are invariably the subject of disciplinary action. Statistics are not held on how many cases have been dealt with by commanding officers and how many by courts martial, since 1st January 1970, and could not be obtained without disproportionate effort.