The Ministry of Defence should be liable for prosecution under corporate manslaughter laws when members of the armed forces die during training due to gross negligence, according to a report by the Commons Defence Committee.
Since 2000, 135 personnel have died in training, including 89 in the Army, 24 in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, and 22 in the RAF. The committee argues that the MoD's crown immunity from such laws is an anomaly, as it protects the department from charges that apply to nearly all other organisations.
The report, titled 'Beyond Endurance', acknowledges that the MoD takes its duty of care seriously but notes a public perception to the contrary. It recommends that the exemption should continue to apply to military operations but not to training. Last year, a coroner ruled that three reservists who died on an SAS selection march in the Brecon Beacons in 2013 died as a result of neglect.
Hilary Meredith, a solicitor who gave evidence to the inquiry, described the report as a 'major leap forward'. An MoD spokesperson said deaths in training are rare and that the department would consider the report carefully.
