Adam Ingram

There will be no public inquiry into the Deepcut deaths, Adam Ingram has announced.

However, there will be independent oversight of army training procedures in future

Speaking in the Commons, the armed forces minister announced that the Adult Learning Inspectorate would be brought in to review the care given to young recruits.

And he said that an extra £23 million was being made available for training, a move which would benefit new recruits.

Families of the four trainees, who died of gunshot wounds between 1995 and 2002, have refused to accept the official verdicts of suicide.

They had threatened to mount a legal challenge to the government unless a full public inquiry is announced.

A report by Surrey police has also called for a "broader inquiry" into how young soldiers are cared for.

Ingram said a memorandum of understanding was being drawn up to allow the ALI to conduct inspections and oversight of army training.

"It is entirely independent of the Ministry of Defence and is a widely respected body," the minister told MPs.

The first inspections will begin in the autumn looking specifically at care and welfare, with a report to be made public by next Easter.

"There will be no no-go areas," Ingram pledged.

The ALI will be empowered to revisit areas and report on the implementation of its recommendations.

"It represents a positive and prompt response to the Surrey police recommendations," said Ingram.

But he added that there would be no wider public inquiry.

"I do not underestimate the depth of feeling and the passion of the part of families who lost loved ones at Deepcut," he said.

"But I am not persuaded, given the intensive investigations and inquiries and the new methods I have put in place, what more a public inquiry would achieve."

He acknowledged that this "will be disappointing to the families", and repeated apologies for the way they had been treated.

Ingram said the events at Deepcut had been "tragic", producing "long and difficult years" for the families.

"I also recognise that in some respect the families have not been as well treated as they should have been," he added.