Information on the average number of service and Ministry of Defence civilian personnel stationed in Iraq in each financial year from 2002-03 to 2007-08 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The number of personnel in theatre at any one time fluctuates significantly on a daily basis for a variety of reasons, including mid-tour rest and recuperation, temporary absence for training, evacuation for medical reasons, the roulement of forces and visits.
Information on the number of military personnel deployed in Iraq at the end of May in each of the last six years has, however, been made available on the Department’s website, and can be found at:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/Templates/Factsheet .aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRNODEGUID=%7bF0 BBlDFlA9C74E1796E7B3301B06E45F%7d&NRORIGIN ALURL=%2fDefenceInternet%2fFactSheets%2fOperations Factsheets%2fDperationsInIraqFactsandFigures%2ehtm&NRC ACHEHINT =Guest#mc2
Due to ongoing validation of data from Legacy Service Personnel Administrative systems and the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) “Move and Track” system, data on the total number of deployed personnel to Iraq since 2003 are not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
As at 1 February 2009 there were 91,300 serving members of the UK armed forces who have been deployed to Iraq and the Gulf region since 2003. This figure does not include personnel who have served in Iraq and the Gulf region but who had left the armed forces by 31 January 2009.
No reports of serious incidents involving attacks by non-state forces operating from the sea against coalition naval assets in these geographical areas have been recorded since 2007.