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Army Barracks (Deaths)

: I agree, but that is exactly why we need a full and independent public inquiry with the power legally to require witnesses to turn up. We are certainly not going to get the answers to which the hon. Gentleman refers if we adopt a voluntary, come-forward-if-you-dare process, which was more or less the constraint forced upon Mr. Blake. The crucial point is that Mr. Blake did not have the power to compel witnesses to stand. With the Blake review, the families have had to accept that everyone who knew details or factors relating to the deaths stepped forward voluntarily. I do not believe that that was the case, however, and it is hardly surprising that the families remain cautious about the conclusions. Before the Blake review, the families believed that a properly conducted public inquiry, with the power to compel witnesses to appear, was the only way of truly getting to the bottom of the Deepcut deaths. They continue to feel that way, so my second question is whether the Government are at least willing to hear representations from the parents about their views on the case for a public inquiry? It would be a cold-hearted Government indeed who were not willing to enter that dialogue. The Ministry of Defence is adamant that the problems that affected Deepcut so severely are things of the past—that relates to what the hon. Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch (Meg Hillier) said. However, according to the latest Army continuous attitude survey—the Army's own survey—8 per cent. of soldiers say that they have been bullied in the past 12 months; that is more than 7,000 personnel. Of those soldiers who complained about unfair treatment, discrimination, harassment or bullying, 77 per cent. were not satisfied with the way the complaint was handled.