THE world-famous Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth is one of 10 military training bases under scrutiny as part of a major investigation into culture and safety.

The inquiry, to be led by Armed Forces Commissioner Polly Miller-Perkins, was sparked by allegations of rape, sexual assault and systemic abuse at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate.

Other ‘Phase One’ training bases in the spotlight include the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, the Army Training Centre at Pirbright and the Army Training Regiment at Winchester.

The Commissioner can make unannounced site visits, and has asked current and former recruits, staff and family members connected to training environments to submit testimony.

However, a number of MPs whose constituencies include the training bases – including South Devon Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden – have questioned Ms Miller-Perkins’ appointment due to her position as a senior figure in the military.

The MPs also want the inquiry to go further, and allow any serious cases such as rape and assault to be handled by the civilian justice system rather than the military.

The investigation comes after the BBC revealed in August that four young women – some 16 and 17 years old – were assaulted and harassed at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate. Other reports have suggested further issues of substandard welfare structures, with soldiers in the Army Training Centre Pirbright, near Guildford, filing 16 pest-related complaints in 2026 alone.

In their letter the MPs say: “It has become increasingly clear that these are not isolated incidents at a single establishment.

“Previous parliamentary inquiries, the Ministry of Defence’s own research and repeated media investigations have pointed to a persistent culture across military training in which sexual violence, harassment and misogyny go unchallenged.

“We are sure you are familiar with the tragic story of Jaysley Beck, who took her own life after sustained sexual harassment by a senior soldier. This shows the level of what is at stake if this investigation does not lead to real change.”

Jaysley Beck was a 19-year-old Royal Artillery Gunner who took her own life at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire in December 2021. An Army service inquiry found she had suffered ‘relentless’ sexual harassment in the two months leading up to her death.

Ms Voaden, whose constituency includes the Dartmouth naval college where all Royal Navy officers come to train, has signed the joint letter to the Defence Secretary outlining her concerns.

The letter says the claims should not be regarded as isolated incidents, and says previous parliamentary inquiries, as well as the Ministry of Defence’s own research and repeated media investigations, have found a culture of sexual violence, harassment, and misogyny within military training.

In many cases victims lack the confidence to come forward, say the MPs, and Ms Voaden suggests there is a risk victims will again feel unable to speak following the decision to hand the investigation to Ms Miller-Perkins.

Instead, the letter calls for independent civilian specialists in sexual violence and trauma to support the Commissioner’s work.

Ms Voaden said: “Reliving any experience of sexual violence is traumatic and difficult. It’s vitally important that someone who is trained in the resulting trauma of sexual violence be present when young women are asked to contribute to this investigation.

“The young people who join our Armed Forces deserve to know that they will be safe.”

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence said that as part of its commitment to prevent and address unacceptable sexual behaviour, a wide-reaching strategy was launched in 2022 calling for zero tolerance on exploitation and abuse.

The spokesperson added: “We welcome independent scrutiny and that’s why the government created the Armed Forces Commissioner role, to provide this sort of external advice and challenge. We look forward to engaging fully and cooperatively with the Commissioner’s work.

“We are committed to ensuring that everyone beginning their military career receives the highest standards of training, welfare and support in a safe and professional environment.”