In broadcast news this morning, investigators are trying to find out what caused a former RAF pilot to crash at Oulton Park in Cheshire at the CarFest event yesterday.
There is also widespread coverage of the British and French governments making a joint appeal to the rest of the EU to help tackle the root cause of the migrant problems in Calais.
Afghan Prisoner
The Mail on Sunday reports that an alleged Taliban bomb-maker, who they claim killed a member of the UK Armed Forces, was freed from a UK-run prison. An MOD spokesperson said:
Where there was sufficient evidence against Afghan nationals detained by UK forces they were handed over to the Afghan authorities for further investigation and prosecution. Anyone conclusively linked to the deaths of UK service personnel has been convicted by the Afghan authorities.
SAS raids
The Sunday Express carries an article claiming that British Special Forces are mounting “hit-and-run raids” against ISIL while dressed as insurgent fighters.
It is the MOD’s long-standing policy not to comment on the operations of Special Forces.
Injured soldiers
The Sunday Mirror carries an article which says almost 20,000 British soldiers are unfit for combat and unable to take part in operations because of injuries suffered in war or training. It says around 5,000 Navy personnel, including Royal Marines, and almost 5,000 RAF staff have also been medically downgraded. Former British commander Colonel Richard Kemp said these injuries mean the Army has effectively been reduced to 62,000 soldiers.
However these figures relate to the total number of people downgraded in a three-year period and do not reflect that at any one time over 90% of personnel are fit to be deployed. An MOD spokesperson said:
It is a condition of service that all personnel must be fit and healthy to deploy anywhere throughout the world, including austere locations where medical care is limited. It is still possible to be deployed with a medical condition but the health and welfare of our personnel is a priority.
All medically downgraded personnel are regularly reviewed by medical personnel with the aim of returning them to full functional capacity.
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