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Defence Secretary says MoD blundered on payout for troops
Nicholas Cecil, Deputy Political Editor30 Jul 2009
Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth today admitted that military chiefs blundered over legal action to cut compensation for injured troops.
The Cabinet minister took to the airwaves after the Ministry of Defence sparked outrage with the Court of Appeal case. Asked whether this had been a mistake, Mr Ainsworth told BBC radio: “In isolation it possibly was.”
He broke off his holiday in France to fly home yesterday after the uproar over the move to limit compensation for two soldiers, including Corporal Anthony Duncan, who is back on the frontline in Afghanistan.
Families of injured soldiers welcomed Mr Ainsworth's announcement that a review of the armed forces compensation scheme would be speeded up.
But Cpl Duncan's father Andy said: “What gets me is that the penpushers in London are counting numbers while my son is out dodging bullets in Afghanistan.”
Mr Ainsworth said there had been “terrible” injuries in recent battles with the Taliban, adding: “I'm determined that we honour that duty of care.”
The bodies of three more British servicemen were repatriated today. Warrant Officer Sean Upton, of the 5th Regiment Royal Artillery, and Trooper Phillip Lawrence, of The Light Dragoons, died in separate blasts in Helmand in southern Afghanistan on Monday. Bombardier Craig Hopson, 40th Regiment Royal Artillery, was killed on Saturday by a roadside bomb. All three were fathers.
The bodies of four other UK soldiers were flown back to Britain on Tuesday, the day the MoD went to the Court of Appeal.
It emerged today that 22 UK servicemen have died this month, with many more injured during the Panther's Claw offensive. In just one week, more than 150 British military personnel were treated at the Camp Bastion field hospital.
Mr Ainsworth said: “As Defence Secretary I cannot allow the situation to continue that leaves the public in any doubt over my or the Government's commitment to our servicemen and women.” He said the legal action was necessary to clarify the running of the compensation scheme which he said had been made almost unworkable by earlier tribunal rulings.
The Court of Appeal case focused on payments made to Cpl Duncan and Royal Marine Matthew McWilliams.
Cpl Duncan, who was shot in Iraq in 2005, was awarded £9,250, which was increased to £46,000 by a Pensions Appeal Tribunal. The £8,250 award made to Mne McWilliams, who fractured his thigh in training, went up to £28,750 on appeal.
Reader views (20)
i was injured when i was on duty,which left me in hospital and my spleen was removed,i have to take medicine every day for the rest of my life ,not one penny in compansation been let down and i feel forgoten
- James Huggan, gateshead, 28/02/2010 21:46
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….and who is charge of the MOD?
I blame myself, for punishing the service men who risked their lives to enable me to stay in power?
- Ian, Reading, England, 28/02/2010 20:46
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Blundered? I´ll say they did. It was an insult of unbelievable arrogance. A bunch of pen-pushers who wouldn´t know one end of a rifle from the other presume to cut payments which injured servicemen fully deserve. They should be given their marching orders immediately, and they should be forced to take a drastic cut in their pay-off.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands, 28/02/2010 20:46
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As Defence Secretary I cannot allow the situation to continue that leaves the public in any doubt over my or the Government's commitment to our servicemen and women.
Don't worry Mr Ainsworth - we, the public know exactly what you think of our armed forces and anything else truly British. WE WILL HAVE OUR SAY AT THE GENERAL ELECTION. My advice to you and your wretched NuLab colleagues is to start looking for new jobs.
- Saxon, Cowes UK, 28/02/2010 20:46
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Cpl Duncan's father Andy said: “What gets me is that the penpushers in London are counting numbers while my son is out dodging bullets in Afghanistan.”
Does he realize that there are 100,000 civil servants (penpushers) in the Ministry of Defence? What on earth do they do, except insult the brave soldiers dodging bullets?
As for the Minister himself, there can be few people in Westminster who know less about military matters than he does. One of my many gripes with Gordon Brown is his appalling judgement in appointing low grade people to ministerial posts, of which there are many examples.
- Percy Vere, Chipping Campden, Glos., 28/02/2010 20:46
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Its for the politicians to spot a potential PR disaster even when the Military Chiefs can't spot it.
- Dhan Raj, Basildon, 28/02/2010 20:46
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The Defence Secretary seems to be blaming Military Chiefs for this decision. I find it hard if not impossible to belive that he did not know what was going on or that it would have even started without his permission.
There are two choices
a) He did know gave his permission and is passing the blame
b) He didn't know in which case he is unbelievably incompetent and should stand down
In either (a) or (b) he should stand down. If anyone can think of a (c) option I would appreciate it.
- David Slack, London, 28/02/2010 20:46
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Outrage!!!!
- Lin, London England, 28/02/2010 20:46
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So why not withdraw the case in the High Court? Have I missed something?
- John Punshon, Milton Keynes, England, 28/02/2010 20:46
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Mr Ainsworth, The Defence Secretary and Ministry of Defence blundered.......blundered is not the word to describe gross incompetence. What really worries me is even if Labour are ousted at the next election(sic!!!)we will still have all those incompetents working at the MOD.
To many mistakes have been made at the MOD on procurement, and to date nobody has been brought to book....some of the Chiefs of Staff should hang their heads in shame.
- Lloyd, Glan Conwy, 28/02/2010 20:46
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'military chiefs blundered?' - let me remind the labour government that it is you who are in charge, you who are responsible and you who make all the decisions.
Remarkably again, the day Labour announces more 'soft jobs' with money it 'found' from somewhere, at the same time as cutting compensation to troops..i find it disgusting that Ainsworth and Labour continue to blame everyone else except themselves.
Perhaps it is time NEW Labour just went back into the hole from which it came
- Jackie, london, 28/02/2010 20:46
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I must be getting old, but I can remember when a minister who made such an appalling blunder, would have resigned immediately. Does NOBODY amongst this bloody awful bunch of misfits that calls itself a government have anything vaguely resembling honour? Sack thr lot of them, and send THEM to the front line. Nobody will miss them.
- Lezli Taubler, London/UK, 28/02/2010 20:46
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The appointment of Blimp lookalike, Ainsworth to the position of Defence Minister has clearly robbed society of the services of an superbly qualified public convenience cleaner.
- Ted, London, 28/02/2010 20:46
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This is nothing new where Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen are concerned; British Governments have always promised full support and a land fit for heroes, for those that fight and die for their Country in war after war, when they want the ordinary people to fight and die for them, whilst they stay safely at home.
But once the wars are over; or the men are dead, or crippled for life; they never do honour their promises made.
This is the basic nature of most politicians; to them promises are just pie crust thick; and meant to be broken at their will.
This will never change with the men in suits behind desks; just as their election promises are never kept or honoured.
You can tell the strengths and abilities of all governments; by the way they treat their people, and the way the Nation is functioning day by day.
From my point of view; and after two world wars, and a few minor wars; I see a British Nation that is impotent and afraid of free speech; I see a Nation slowly being strangled to death and robbed of their true identity; and I see a Nation where it is now shameful to be British in their own country; I see a Nation where freedom that was fought hard for; being denied to all that fought and died for it.
In short; I see a Nation that has been totally betrayed by its Political Leaders over the last 30 years; and the shame and guilt is all theirs alone.
Remember all those that have betrayed you all; at the next election; fight back, or surrender totally.
- Mickinlondon, london., 28/02/2010 20:46
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It has long been recognised that the MoD is the least efficient and worst performing ministry in the Brown government - and that's saying something. Whether it is making a mess of weapons procurement or losing several hundred laptop pcs, it has become a byword for disaster. It's a pity that some of the £700M they recently spent on refurbishing their offices could not have been employed in sacking some of the dross and recruiting some intelligent staff.
- Tom Williams, Oxford UK, 28/02/2010 20:46
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.....and does this INCLUDE future claims?
We are governed by idiots who repeatedly resort to litigation (at taxpayer's expense)in an attempt to avoid their obligations.
ONE LAW FOR JOE PUBLIC AND A DIFFERENT LAW FOR THOSE IN GOVERNMENT.
- Reuben Camara, Republic of Morecambe, UK, 28/02/2010 20:46
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Simple.Just deduct in from MPs expenses.
- Frank, Bristol, 28/02/2010 20:46
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Ainsworth prattles on about 'duty of care' towards wounded servicemen and women. That duty of care can only be related to the final medical outcome of a particular event which may take a long time, even years, to establish. Quick fix one off payments, however large are not the answer but were introduced by Labour in 2005 for purely party political advantage. Go back to the War Pensions scheme and bring it up to date. Care not compensation for those wounded until the final outcome is established; not instant gratification followed by legalised neglect.
- Peter Haldane, London, 28/02/2010 20:46
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This man's responsible. Why is there talk about the military chiefs blundering? Always someone else to blame with this Labour government.
- Phil Jones, London UK, 28/02/2010 20:46
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re war pensions.the trouble with them is (i am a war pensioner)they are means tested against income support and pension credit.eg my war pension£45-72 they take £35-72 from my pension credit. so peter the government always wins.
- John Mckim, glasgow.uk, 28/02/2010 20:46
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