§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach)My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Defence (Mr Adam Ingram) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
The deaths of four soldiers at Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut, between 1995 and 2002 have been the subject of detailed scrutiny and much public comment for some time. Recent press reporting has further raised public interest in these distressing events.
I told the House on 30 November 2004 that I was satisfied that the Ministry of Defence's response to public concern over the four deaths at Princess Royal Barracks was adequate and comprehensive but that I 89WS nevertheless accepted the case for a further review by a fully independent figure. I am now in a position to set out the details of that review.
The review will be conducted by Nicholas Blake QC and will begin shortly. I expect Mr Blake to complete his report in the first half of next year. Mr Blake is a distinguished human rights lawyer with wide experience of civil liberties and criminal justice. His report will be published in full, along with my response to it.
The terms of reference for the review are as follows.
Urgently to review the circumstances surrounding the deaths of four soldiers at Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut between 1995 and 2002 in light of available material and any representations that might be made in this regard, and to produce a report".In commissioning this review I am well aware that its scope and nature may not satisfy all those, Members of this House included, who have been calling for a formal public inquiry into some or all non-combat deaths in the Armed Forces or for a public inquiry into the deaths at Deepcut. These are very different demands. By concentrating on the circumstances of the four deaths at the Army base at Deepcut this review will focus on the issue at the heart of current public concern. The review will have the full co-operation of the Ministry of Defence and, I am pleased to say, Surrey Police. A review can analyse issues much more quickly than a public inquiry and would not interfere with other current investigations or proceedings. My expectation is that the rigour and independence of the review will produce value to all parties concerned. It is the right way to proceed and I would urge all those who may be sceptical of what the review can achieve to suspend their criticism and to lend it their full support.
It is of the highest importance that a balanced and authoritative account of the circumstances surrounding the deaths should be put into the public domain, to sustain public confidence in military training. The consistently outstanding performance of the young men and women of the Armed Forces, often only recently out of initial training, is testament to the quality of that training system.