SECONDARY schools are to be encouraged to set up cadet corps under plans to be unveiled next month.

A report commissioned by the government on the role of the military in British society will urge all comprehensives to offer pupils basic military training if the opportunity is not available in the community.

The recommendations, by Quentin Davies, a former Tory MP who defected to the Labour party last year, have received the backing of Gordon Brown, who is said to be “very, very keen” on the idea.

Davies argues that encouraging more secondary school pupils to join cadet corps would lead to better discipline among teenagers and improve public perception of the army, navy and air force, whose reputations have suffered during the Iraq war.

However, some campaigners fear that teaching teenagers to use weapons could backfire, fuel-ling gun crime.

There are now just 60 cadet forces in comprehensive schools, compared with 200 in grammar and independent institutions, which constitute only 10 per cent of schools.

Davies said: “This is an opportunity for young people to engage in purposeful activity, in projects involving teamwork and physical challenges. It is immensely valuable. I very much hope that schools will be attracted to the idea.”

He said schools would not be encouraged to set up cadet corps in areas where the need was already met by community cadet forces. Sources close to Brown confirmed that he backed the scheme.

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