MPS are to investigate the way the armed services look after raw recruits, after the deaths of four young soldiers at Deepcut Barracks in Surrey.

Surrey Police released the results of their final report earlier this month into the deaths of County Durham soldier Geoff Gray and three other privates at Deepcut barracks, in Surrey.

Detectives, who conducted a 15-month investigation into the deaths, have urged the Government to launch a broader inquiry into bullying and unexplained deaths at Deepcut and other UK Army bases.

The Commons defence select committee was expected to announce a probe into the Army's duty of care towards young recruits.

But chairman Bruce George said the committee would investigate the navy and the RAF as well.

However he stressed the MPs would not be investigating individual deaths.

The inquiry will ask how well the duty of care regime works in the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force and suggest any improvements it feels necessary.

It will also consider how well the forces assess the risks to recruits in their care and whether there should be an independent body overseeing forces' initial training.

The inquiry is expected to report early next year.

Mr George said: ''Although our inquiry was prompted by the deaths of young soldiers at Deepcut barracks and elsewhere, we are not a substitute for the police, or for the judicial process.

''We will not be questioning the findings of the police or of the coroner about how specific deaths occurred.

''I hope, however, that our inquiry will be seen to be in everyone's interests, by helping to ensure that the armed forces exercise properly their duty of care towards recruits under training.''

The MPs said in a statement: ''The Committee is well aware that there have been calls for a public inquiry into specific deaths at army training establishments and understands why such demands are being made.

''The Committee is not suited to undertaking this type of inquiry. It does not have the specialist capabilities to enable it to inquire into specific deaths.

''The Committee stresses that the duty of care inquiry which it is announcing today is not intended to be a substitute for a public inquiry into past events.''

Earlier this month Surrey Police called for a broader inquiry after their investigation into the deaths of the four young soldiers at Deepcut barracks in the county.