DAVID Cameron, in his bid to wrestle middle England from Labour, has repeatedly emphasised the need for a revival of traditional family values.

We agree with him and "the family" is certain to be one of the battleground issues at the next General Election, which seems increasingly likely to be in November.

The decline of traditional family values was one of the themes underlined yesterday by the authors of an independent report into life at Catterick Garrison's Infantry Training Centre.

The Independent Advisory Panel found that young recruits arriving at the centre were increasingly undisciplined and lacking morals. Businessman Alasdair MacConachie, who led the panel, pointed to a decline in traditional family values as being at the heart of the problem.

It is important to stress the fact that many children are being brought up in caring, responsible families to be solid citizens.

But we should also do more to recognise that parenting failures are often the root cause of anti-social behaviour. Of course, schools have a huge role to play in teaching children right from wrong - but education has to begin in the home.

In the meantime, we should not underestimate the priceless role the Armed Forces play in the containment of anti-social behaviour.

It is inevitable that there will be high-profile exceptions and it will always be our duty to publicise them.

But we welcome the independent panel's conclusion that, on the whole, Catterick does a good job in turning round so many young lives and pointing them in the right direction.