Deepcut barracks inquiry leads to independent complaints commissioner for military personnel and their families

An independent service complaints commissioner will be created by the government following the inquiry into the deaths of four recruits at the Deepcut Army barracks in Surrey.

Armed forces minister Adam Ingram said the commissioner would be able to accept complaints directly from service personnel or family members.

But the commissioner would not be able to institute legal action, he said.

Ingram was outlining the government’s response to the review into the deaths, published in March.

The review found “institutional failures” to identify potential risks.

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Ingram said many young people may not have the confidence to make a complaint if there was something going on that they thought was “being brushed over”.

If someone tried to block his investigation, the commissioner would have access to ministers, Ingram added.