MINISTER'S DELAY IN GROUNDING UNSAFE NIMRODS DISGRACEFUL
March 9, 2009 3:54 PM
Commenting on today's Government statement on Nimrod aircraft, which says that none of them should fly after the end of this month unless modifications have been made, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said:
"This is in effect an admission by the Government that the Nimrod fleet is not safe to fly, and has not been for years.
"It is disgraceful that it has taken so long for ministers to take action to ground unsafe aircraft which have already claimed the lives of our service personnel and are still putting others at risk.
"RAF personnel and the coroner in the Nimrod inquest have been saying for months, if not years, that these planes are not airworthy. Why has it taken so long for the Government to listen?
"It also must be asked why it is deemed safe for these aircraft to continue to fly for a moment longer, let alone another three weeks, without the necessary replacement of their hot air ducts.
"It is shameful that MoD complacency and penny-pinching has put the lives of our service men and women at risk for so long."
FURTHER INFORMATION
On 23 May 2008, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey called for the Government to make plans to ground the Nimrod fleet, in response to the recommendations of the coroner in the inquest into the deaths of 14 personnel in 2006.
Nick Harvey said:
"Unless it can show there will be grave operational consequences for our forces on the ground, the Government must make plans to ground the Nimrod fleet.
"Our armed forces are doing a incredible and difficult job in taking on the Taliban. It is scandalous that they also have to worry about the threat to their lives posed by the neglect of their own Government.
"The coroner's verdict exposes the Government's disgraceful attitude towards the armed services, which is at best irresponsible and at worst callous.
"There must now be an independent inquiry into who in the MoD knew that these aircraft were not airworthy, and if so, why they were allowed to continue to fly.
"Given recent judgements, the Government may have a case to answer that its negligence has breached the human rights of our service personnel."
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