HC Deb 08 December 2003 vol 415 cc271-2W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to ensure that the recommendations made by a board of inquiry become general knowledge and are acted upon throughout HM Armed Services. [142116]

Mr. Ingram

The purpose of a Board of Inquiry is to investigate the facts of an incident in order to prevent recurrence. Boards of Inquiry records are submitted to the convening authority Headquarters, who determine the measures required to prevent further similar occurrences. These are then sent to Command and Service Headquarters who ensure these are implemented and communicated to the wider Services community as necessary.

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what form the reports, findings and recommendations of boards of inquiry are made available for military and legal researchers; and for how many years these reports are stored. [142117]

Mr. Ingram

Board of Inquiry reports are internal Ministry of Defence documents containing personal and confidential information. They are not normally released for external research purposes.

Reports are retained for at least 50 years.

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the result was of the investigation into the circumstances of the death in 1997 of Private Ross Collins of Nanstallon near Bodmin in Cornwall; at what time the police were called; what steps were taken to secure evidence at the scene of death; what the conclusions were of their inquiry; what the nature was of the post mortem examination; by whom it was carried out; what the findings were; at what time the relatives of the deceased were informed; what the conclusion was of the Coroner's Inquest; when a board of inquiry was established; when it reported; and what measures were taken as a result of its findings. [142118]

Mr. Ingram

Primacy for the investigation into a sudden death lies with the appropriate civil police authority. The Coroner returned an open verdict. A Board of Inquiry was not convened in accordance with the normal practice at the time.