Soldier death inquiries move bid

Dead soldiers are currently repatriated at RAF Brize Norton

A member's bill is to be introduced at Holyrood which would allow fatal accident inquiries to be held into the deaths of Scottish soldiers abroad.

At present only English coroners can investigate their deaths but there is mounting pressure for a change.

Last week, the Scottish Government ruled out allowing English coroners to sit at a Scottish military base.

Liberal Democrat justice spokeswoman Margaret Smith hopes to allow sheriffs to hold inquiries into soldier deaths.

The Lib Dem MSP for Edinburgh West believes that, with cross-party support, the bill could pass through Holyrood in a day and be law in a matter of months.

I hope that this proposal will attract cross-party support and that we can move swiftly to deal with this anomaly and reduce the stress and burden on these families Margaret Smith MSP

She said the change would speed up the process and reduce the "burden on families".

Ms Smith said: "This is a humanitarian situation. The families of service personnel who have given their lives have suffered enough.

"We should do all we can to minimise the delays to the inquiries into the deaths of their loved ones.

"I hope that this proposal will attract cross-party support and that we can move swiftly to deal with this anomaly and reduce the stress and burden on these families."

Deaths abroad

Scottish ministers are considering the options available to them, having now ruled out the most controversial one, which drew ridicule in Whitehall.

The Ministry of Defence insisted the option of having inquests held at a Scottish base such as RAF Kinloss was "not on the table".

At present, all military deaths abroad must currently be examined by an English coroner.

Under Scots law, fatal accident inquiries cannot be held into deaths abroad.