Select Committee on Defence Written Evidence


Memorandum from Mr Lembit Öpik MP

  I write as constituency Member of Parliament for Des and Doreen James, whose daughter Cheryl James died at Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut in 1995.

  Over the past two years, I have spent many hours speaking with the James family about the circumstances surrounding their daughter's death. I have attended briefings from Surrey Police on the investigation into Cheryl's death and held meetings with the Armed Forces Minister, Adam Ingram. I have also spoken to the James' lawyers and other independent experts with regard to technical and legal matters. I therefore have an awareness of the way in which the Army has discharged its duty of care responsibilities in the past.

  Crucial questions relating to the death of Cheryl James remain unanswered. Actions and decisions taken by the Ministry of Defence at the time of Cheryl's death remain unaccounted for. I understand this is true in each of the four cases of deaths at Deepcut. I feel that, with the best will in the world, the Defence Select Committee's Duty of Care Inquiry cannot adequately address all the issues raised by Surrey Police in their Final Report published on 4 March 2004.

  The Surrey Police Deepcut Investigation Final Report examined the wider issues identified during police investigations into the deaths of Privates Sean Benton, Cheryl James, Geoff Gray and James Collinson at Princess Royal Barracks Deepcut between 1995 and 2002. Two months into their re-investigation, Surrey Police became concerned about the apparent lack of safeguards in the Army's care regime. Surrey Police uncovered a minefield of issues relating to organisational and cultural issues in the Army. Their concern was such that it prompted them to produce an additional report recommending a broader enquiry.

  I know the Defence Select Committee's Duty of Care Inquiry intends to investigate issues relating to improvements to the current care regime. However, it simply cannot properly investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the four individuals at Deepcut between 1995 and 2002. It cannot examine the identified issues of bullying and harassment or the overall management of the Deepcut camp at the time of the four deaths. It cannot get to the truth about why these young individuals died.

  The Defence Select Committee have acknowledged there have been calls for a public inquiry into specific deaths at Army training establishments and understands why such demands are being made. They have stated that the duty of care inquiry isn't a substitute for a public inquiry into past events, and that they are not the appropriate forum to do justice to the matters which would come under question in a specific inquiry into Deepcut, Catterick or elsewhere.

  The question therefore remains, and I ask the Committee to consider, who will do justice to these matters? The Army has a duty of care to its recruits, and it had a duty of care to Privates Sean Benton, Cheryl James, Geoff Gray and James Collinson. The Armed Forces Minister, Adam Ingram, has recognised that "each of these four deaths was an individual tragedy in its own right". All four deaths remain unexplained.

  One hundred and forty Members of Parliament have signed an Early Day Motion supporting a full, independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the four deaths at Deepcut. The Early Day Motion, tabled by Kevin McNamara MP, outlines our concerns:

    That this House applauds the courage and determination of more than 40 victim families who have come together to establish "Deepcut and Beyond: Armed Forces Families' Justice Campaign", an organisation that seeks truth for families of those whose death has not been investigated effectively, justice in holding to account and prosecuting those responsible, change to protect other families and prevent future deaths; supports the call for a full and independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the four deaths at Deepcut; expresses its sadness that up to 2,000 members of Her Majesty's armed forces have lost their lives through non-natural causes since 1990 and sends condolences to all their families; notes that more than 200 deaths have been caused by discharge of firearms and further that more than 200 are described as self-inflicted; notes the growing public perception that the official response to these deaths is inadequate and distressing to the bereaved; believes the Army has a duty of care and protection towards all personnel, particularly young soldiers; believes that the culture of secrecy surrounding the varied causes of these deaths must give way to greater transparency; believes that the environment in which these deaths continue to occur and the absence of a system for prompt, effective and independent investigation of deaths has led to a breakdown in public confidence that can only be restored through a full and independent public inquiry; and urges the Government without delay to establish a Tribunal of Inquiry under the 1921 Act.

  The need for a public inquiry has also been endorsed by Amnesty International.

  In conclusion, I am pleased the Defence Select Committee is taking this matter very seriously. I hope this means that it will concur with the assessment of others that a full independent public inquiry will ultimately be the only way to answer the core questions: how and why did these young people die, and to what extent did the Army fulfil its duty of care responsibilities to the four individuals that died at Deepcut?

April 2004





 
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