§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the statement made by Surrey Police on the conclusion of their investigations and his Answer of 16 September 2003,Official Report, column 705W, on Deepcut and Catterick barracks, if he will order an independent public inquiry into the way that unnatural deaths at Catterick and Deepcut barracks have been investigated; and if he will make a statement. [133398]
§ Mr. IngramResponsibility for investigating unnatural deaths at army barracks lies with the appropriate civil police authorities. The Surrey Police have suggested, in the context of their investigation of deaths at Deepcut, that a broader inquiry into army deaths may be warranted. Her Majesty's Coroner has yet to complete his work in relation to the Deepcut deaths and the Surrey Police have yet to produce their final overarching report. The case for a public inquiry will need to be considered in the light of these events and other studies already completed.