Some of the six who died were about to head back to the UK

News of the planned meeting emerged after the men's families were briefed on the progress of the Army investigation into the deaths.

The relatives said they had been told the killers were close to being caught.

They are calling for a public inquiry into the attack on the Red Caps, who died in a police station surrounded by 400 Iraqis last June.

Mr Hoon is already under pressure over shortages of protective equipment and the deaths of other servicemen in Iraq.

Speaking on Thursday evening after discussions lasting more than four hours with defence ministry officials, John Miller, 52, whose 21-year-old son Simon was one of those killed, said: "We have been told that they are at an advanced stage of capturing those responsible."

We also found out that the lads acted magnificently John Miller Hoon under pressure from widow

"We also found out that the lads acted magnificently. They didn't take the easy way out in the best traditions, they didn't run away."

Tony Hamilton-Jewell - the brother of Sergeant Simon Hamilton-Jewell - said he had been told that inquiries into exactly what happened could take up to three years.

"Essentially we hope to get the people who were responsible for the breakdown in communication showing their faces - and to get something done about it."

The families say their main aim is simply to find out who committed the killings.

Dangerous location

Mike Aston, 61, whose son Corporal Russell Aston died, said: "It's been a harrowing day for the families here today.

"I've found out that the blood of my son was found in two different rooms and I have to go back and tell my wife that."

The men said they were due to meet the defence secretary on 5 February.

The Red Caps from 156 Provost Company were in Iraq to train Iraqi policemen in Majar el-Kabir, 120 miles north of Basra.

RMP TROOPS KILLED IN IRAQ Corporal Simon Miller, 21 Tyne and Wear Sergeant Simon Alexander Hamilton-Jewell, 41 from Chessington, Surrey Corporal Russell Aston, 30 Swadlincote, Derbyshire Corporal Paul Graham Long, 24 Colchester Lance-Corporal Benjamin John McGowan Hyde, 23 Northallerton, Yorks Lance-Corporal Thomas Richard Keys, 20 Bala, N Wales

It is thought they were attacked during demonstrations against what were seen as heavy-handed weapons searches by British forces.

The casualties, seven weeks after the war ended, were the highest suffered by the military police in a single incident for 50 years.

The MoD investigation was launched following claims the men had been exposed in a dangerous location without sufficient back-up.

The relatives also wants reports that the soldiers' radio signals were liable to black out in the area to be fully investigated.

All six of the Red Caps were from the Goojerat Barracks in Colchester, Essex.

Some of them were on their last day of duty in Iraq and were due to fly home the next day.

In October the Ministry of Defence defended the length of the inquiry by its Special Investigation Branch (SIB).

On Thursday, the MoD said in a statement it would be making the results of its investigation public.