FORMER Tory leader William Hague has promised his own inquiry into the treatment of a senior Army officer who is alleging race discrimination and harassment while serving in Cyprus.

Lieutenant Colonel Sur-inder Saggar now lives near Richmond in North Yorkshire but was serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1999 when he complained to his commanding officer about the conduct of men serving under him.

The case was subsequently referred to the Army board and then to an industrial tribunal, which opened in Thornaby last month.

However, Lt Col Saggar and his family were stunned when the Ministry of Defence submitted evidence which indicated the Race Relations Act cannot be applied to soldiers serving on sovereign bases outside the European Community.

The tribunal chairman therefore had no choice but to rule that the case could not be dealt with under British law.

The MoD was nonetheless instructed to pay Lt Col Saggar's costs - but his family is now hoping for leave to appeal, claiming his career and his character have been destroyed by what happened in Cyprus two years ago.

A barrister from Leeds is considering the case, but they have also met their MP, William Hague, to urge him to take the matter up with the Government.

Yesterday, Mr Hague confirmed he had spoken to the Saggars.

He said: "I am very concerned to learn of Lt Col Saggar's problems. I will be writing to the Secretary of State for Defence to ask how he intends to proceed."