Soldiers in Northern Ireland have been convicted of more than 1,300 criminal offences over the past six years.
In a written answer to Ulster Unionist MP Lady Sylvia Hermon in the House of Commons, British armed forces minister Adam Ingram confirmed the scale of criminal convictions involving army personnel in the province's magistrates' and crown courts.
Although there was no breakdown of what type of offences were committed, the minister disclosed that the number of convictions for this year up to November 30 were 83.
This was well down on 2003's figure, when there were 300 convictions. In 2001 there were 242 convictions and it rose a year later to 281. Two years ago, there were 282 convictions but that dropped significantly to 158 last year.
The figures nevertheless shocked Sinn Fein Assembly member Philip McGuigan, who said the figures illustrated the need for the British Army to withdraw from Northern Ireland.
"People will be shocked at the extent to which criminality permeates the ranks of the British Army serving in the six counties (Northern Ireland)," the North Antrim MLA said.
"Well over 1,000 members of the British Army serving in the six counties have received criminal convictions in magistrates' and crown courts over the past six years."