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Army Barracks (Deaths)

: That is certainly our ambition. The Armed Forces Bill is returning to the House and if there are to be any amendments, we need to deal with them as soon as possible. That is what we are currently working to. Recently, a number of hon. Members have raised concerns on the issue of bullying and harassment in the Army, particularly regarding the troubling perception that there is a possible link between bullying and the number of non-combat deaths in the armed forces. Incidents of bullying, harassment and other inappropriate behaviour exist in society as a whole and can never be completely eliminated, but it is essential that we should do all we can to establish an environment in which they are deemed absolutely unacceptable. Bullying is insidious, corrosive and totally against the principle of self-discipline and the concept of teamwork at the core of our armed forces. Soldiers are often asked to operate in a harsh environment, and training has to prepare them for that, but there is a distinct, although sometimes fine, line between a robust approach to training and to discipline and bullying. No one should be in any doubt which side of the line we expect our soldiers to tread. At every stage of their training and careers it is made clear to them all that bullying and harassment, in any form, are not tolerated. All recruits and trainees are offered clear guidance on the relevant processes so that any allegations of such unacceptable conduct can be investigated thoroughly and dealt with appropriately. It is a sad and unfortunate fact, and in our wider society, that the armed forces will never be able to eradicate the tragic incidence of suicide. We can, however, by careful management, pragmatic policies, better understanding and improved knowledge and education reduce the risks. The Army has updated its guidance and procedures on the prevention and management of suicide and self-harm. An Army suicide vulnerability risk management policy has also recently been introduced. It provides detailed and mandatory guidance to those in the chain of command about how to identify those at risk and how to manage and care for them proactively. Work on suicide risk management is continuing on a tri-service basis in relation to prevention, screening, reporting, data collection, training and education. In the past 18 months, multi-disciplinary service and civilian groups have been set up to promote good practice and mental well-being across the armed forces. We are continually working to improve the support available to individuals, especially through accessible, professional welfare services operating to common defence standards. More generally, we are committed to the well-being and safety of all our personnel. That is a fundamental responsibility for individuals throughout the chain of command from the moment they join the armed forces. In the early days of an individual's career, we recognise the vital role of our instructors at service training establishments. We already have work in hand to improve the training provided to them through the development of the ““train the trainer”” programme. Support to personnel is provided in the first instance by the military staff of the recruits' training teams. In addition, every unit has a comprehensive welfare system which is widely publicised. There is a network of agencies including chaplains, WRVS volunteers, and unit welfare officers. Personnel also have access to single service confidential helplines and the Samaritans helpline, so a range of measures are in place. I shall address some of the points raised by my colleagues. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood, who initiated the debate, and tell her that we continue to improve our complaints procedure, which we will make more robust. She was, perhaps, a little unfair to the Royal Military Police, who execute their duties professionally. No system is perfect, and there are glitches and difficulties from time to time, but on the whole they do a good job. I will study points one to five that my hon. Friend made and, if it helps, will willingly invite her to meet me and discuss them in detail. Perhaps we can work together to take forward her hopes and aspirations in relation to this matter. My hon. Friend also asked about the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill. I have written to my hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills indicating that we completely support the Bill. When it is enacted, it will help us with our military training. The hon. Member for Montgomeryshire (Lembit Öpik) spoke passionately about the families whom he has been supporting. I do not think that we have ever said that there is closure on this matter. We will respond to Blake, and judgments will have to be made on whether anything further can or should be done. I pay tribute to the important comments made by my hon. Friend the Member for North Durham (Mr. Jones). He also made some excellent comments in our debates on the Armed Forces Bill, and we have benefited from his help and advice. The hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart) raised some issues. I certainly understand the Collinson family's desire for closure. However, as my hon. Friend the Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch (Meg Hillier) said, even a public inquiry might not tell people exactly how their children died. If it were in my power to do that, I would, but I am not certain that it is achievable. I recently wrote to my hon. Friend the Member for Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin) and followed up my correspondence yesterday in further discussions with him. The hon. Member for Forest of Dean (Mr. Harper) raised a number of points on behalf of the Opposition, to which I shall respond in writing if he will permit me, as I need to study some of them further. I certainly hope that we can complete our deliberations as far as Blake is concerned. If we do not manage to table amendments before the Bill is reported on 22 May, we will do so in the other place and bring the Bill back in the normal way. We at the Ministry of Defence, are not simply Ministers, officials, and members of the armed forces. We are also fathers, mothers, and people with families. We intuitively understand how important it is that young people are looked after and valued, and we feel passionately about the care that we provide to them. We are acutely aware of the sensitivity of the issues raised today and of the need for us urgently to address areas of weakness. We deeply regret the death of anyone in our charge. Each family has suffered a great loss and understandably still carries a burden. No matter what is said today by me or anyone else in this House, those families will continue to have that pain and suffering for the rest of their lives. I fear that there is nothing we can do to mitigate that. I certainly share with them in that respect. I know that there is nothing that we can do to restore their loved ones to them, but we can continue to improve how we care for those who are in our charge. I have on my desk a mission statement, which simply says: ““We value our servicemen and women and their families and will do everything in our power to demonstrate that.”” It is the first thing that I see every morning when I walk into my office. That is why I am a Minister, and why I want to do something about the issues raised here today. Working in partnership, my colleagues and I can do something to try to ensure that the tragedies that we have talked about today—whatever their causes—may not be repeated.