Army chief hails troop welfare plan

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But General Sir Richard Dannatt, Chief of the General Staff, said the balance of risk and reward remained "out of kilter" and urged ministers to ensure all proposals were implemented.

A doubling of compensation for troops seriously injured in action was the most eye-catching element of the Service Personnel Command Paper published by Defence Secretary Des Browne.

Gen Dannatt said: "This is a very good start: there are certain clear, concrete, progressive things in the paper and the prospect of a lot more."

Asked about the package after making a speech in Westminster, he said: "There is a whole range of things... many of which are aspirational, and I would say that, as in any endeavour, 20% is about strategy and 80% is about delivery.

"We are slightly out of kilter within the terms of the military covenant," he said of the unwritten deal under which the state looks after troops' welfare in return for their willingness to risk their lives.

"The demands, legitimate demands, placed on the military to conduct operations in Iraq and elsewhere has placed quite a burden on us.

"That is fine provided there is a balance in our ability to look after the legitimate needs of individuals.

"So I welcome the service command paper, as I have welcomed quite a number of other things that have happened in the last 18 to 24 months, as significant steps towards rebalancing our covenant.

"It was out of kilter, it's coming back into kilter, and I would like to see it brought further back into kilter."