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Nick Harvey MPStanding up for North Devon since 1992 |
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LIB DEM CONFERENCE BACKS NICK HARVEY'S PROPOSALS TO INCREASE TROOPS' PAY AND CONDITIONS
September 23, 2009 11:13 AM
The Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference has backed radical plans to increase the pay of Britain's lowest-earning troops by £6,000, improve the condition of forces' housing, and ensure proper medical provision for all personnel.
Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said:
"The amount we pay our troops is a national disgrace. It is deeply unfair that the most dangerous public service job we have is also one of the worst paid.
"Lower-ranking service men and women should see their pay increased in line with that of the police and fire services.
"This Government has failed to properly look after troops both on the front line and the home front. There needs to be a massive improvement in the standards of housing we provide to our forces.
"Military equipment priorities must be changed to ensure our troops in Afghanistan have the vital resources they need - especially helicopters.
"Our brave men and women are enduring unimaginable hardships in Afghanistan, putting their lives on the line day after day. The very least we can do is treat them with respect.
"The psychological toll from service in Iraq and Afghanistan remains unquantifiable but will become increasingly apparent over the next decade.
Over 60,000 serving personnel, including soldiers on the front line in Afghanistan, are paid less than the starting salary of a police officer or firefighter.
The proposals, which would mean that no service personnel in the Army, Navy or RAF would receive less basic annual pay than a new-entrant police constable or development-level firefighter, would be funded within the MoD's existing budget.
Key points include:
- The lowest paid personnel would receive an increase of £6000 - placing them on £22,680 and on an equal footing with a development-level firefighter or new-entrant police constable
- Privates and lance corporals would receive an average annual pay increase of over £3000, with the average annual basic pay across these two ranks rising to around £25,000
- Higher NCO ranks would receive an average annual pay increase of around £1,000
- A doubling in the number of forces' family homes refurbished each year
- Savings to be made in fighter jet procurement and operational costs and invested in providing helicopters for Afghanistan
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