Deepcut inquiry rejected

MPs and families were furious today when the Government refused a full public inquiry into the allegations of abuse at Deepcut Army camp.

Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram rejected their pleas in a Commons statement, but promised an independent review into the evidence amassed so far.

A proper inquiry would have powers to summon witnesses, papers and demand extra answers about what happened at the Surrey training base, where four young soldiers died.

The refusal sparked anger and dismay among families and campaigners.

Diane Gray, mother of Private Geoff Gray, said the review was "one step in the right direction" but did not go far enough. She urged a "change of heart" by Mr Ingram, saying: "I think he is the only person in Britain who does not see the need for [an inquiry]."

In the Commons, a string of MPs raised the exclusive revelations by the Evening Standard of a Surrey police dossier on alleged widespread abuse of trainees.

Liberal Democrat Paul Keetch said: "If only a handful of these are true we should be thoroughly ashamed."

Tory spokesman Gerald Howarth read to MPs from today's Standard report, revealing top-level concern about under-funding of training.

He said the Tories would join calls for an inquiry "unless the Ministry of Defence can convince the British people that the training regime has recaptured trust in its ability to exercise a proper duty of care".

Mr Ingram insisted: "There is no intention of a cover-up." He said the dossier contained "allegations" rather than evidence and warned MPs not to assume these were true.

Arguments against an inquiry include claims that victims of alleged abuses will not speak out.

Most complaints made to investigating officers were made on the condition of anonymity, it is said. But the Government stands accused of covering up a catalogue of abuse at the camp, with new claims of assault, bullying and rape.

In damning minutes leaked to the Standard, ministers' claims to be fixing the problems at training camps have been challenged by one of the Army's most senior officers.

The notes, written only last month, see the Adjutant General, Lieutenant General Sir Alistair Irwin, saying he is personally "grieved" by the " significant under-funding" of the Army Training and Recruiting Agency, which runs Army training camps. "It will continue to be an issue to address in 2005," he said.

A series of critical reports have made a clear link between underfunding, lack of instructors and the kind of abuse that went on at Deepcut.

Yesterday's Standard detailed a horrific catalogue of alleged rapes, assaults, sexual humiliation and degradation of recruits at Deepcut in the years 1995, 2001 and 2002. And General Irwin's comments - in a document never intended for public consumption - badly undermine ministers' claims that those problems are now in the past.

"Ministers are just not being responsible in relation to training, proclaiming that there are no major problems when in reality there are serious problems," said Mike Hancock, a Liberal Democrat member of the Commons defence committee.