PROTECTION OF ARMY TRAINEES

Early day motion 1790, tabled 25 October 2004 by Kevin McNamara (Labour). Signed by 50 members.

That this House notes the four-and-a-half year prison sentence given to Mr Leslie Skinner following his conviction for violent sexual offences committed while serving as a non-commissioned officer at Deepcut Army barracks in Surrey; further notes the conclusions drawn by the Surrey Police - that having previously identified that this offender may have had a propensity for young males, the Army posted him to Deepcut without carrying our any form of risk assessment, that this offender abused his position of authority to ensure that his victims acquiesced effectively, that victims had insufficient faith in the chain of command or the Army's investigative system to report the assaults at the time and that victims told the police that they feared reporting the incidents as such action might entail them being 'branded' as homosexual and place them at risk as targets by their peers and other NCOs; and urges the Government to ensure that army trainees are guaranteed the same quality of protection that young people in civilian establishments are promised by the passage of the Children Bill and that instructors seeking appointment in army training camps are subject to enhanced Criminal Record Bureau vetting.

Signatures by party: Labour 31, Liberal Democrat 10, Labour/Co-operative 4, Scottish National Party 2, DUP 1, Plaid Cymru 1, UUP 1.