Today's Defence news includes coverage of The Public Accounts Committee’s findings that Carillion Amey are providing Armed Forces personnel and their families with poor homes, a report on a bid to keep women from serving in ground close combat roles, coverage of Boeing’s £100m investment in RAF Lossiemouth and continued reaction to the Chilcot Report.
SERVICE ACCOMMODATION
There was widespread coverage about the Public Accounts Committee’s findings that the government and its contractor CarillionAmey are badly letting down Armed Forces personnel and their families, providing them with poor homes which do not meet basic requirements. Coverage noted that the situation has become significantly worse over the past year with service personnel with families left without heating, hot water and cooking facilities for months at a time. It was also noted that swift action has been taken to improve matters.
Defence Minister Mark Lancaster said:
The service our personnel and their families were getting from CarillionAmey was simply not good enough. They deserve much better, which is why we took swift action once the problems became apparent. CarillionAmey rightly apologised and developed an aggressive plan of improvements. Progress is being made, but we will absolutely not hesitate to take further action if they don’t deliver for our personnel and their families.
WOMEN IN GROUND CLOSE COMBAT
The Daily Star reports that soldiers have launched a bid to keep women from serving in ground close combat roles despite the recent decision to allow them to serve alongside their male counterparts. The article states that the soldiers believe lives will be put at risk.
General Sir Nick Carter, Chief of the General Staff, said:
I am delighted that we are now able to extend the opportunities for women to serve in the Army. Women already operate on the frontline in a variety of roles and have done so with distinction in recent conflicts.
By allowing women to serve in all roles, we will truly help to maximise the talent available to the Army and make the Armed Forces a modern employer.”
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
I have always wanted roles in our armed forces to be determined by ability, not gender.
Women have already given exemplary service in recent conflicts, working in a variety of highly specialised and vital roles. By opening all combat roles to women, we will continue to build on these successes and improve the operational capability of our military.”
Read more about the ban on women in ground close combat roles being lifted here.
BOEING INVESTMENT
The Scottish Daily Mail reports that more than 100 jobs will be created in Scotland after aerospace giant Boeing announced a £100m investment in RAF Lossiemouth. The article states that the move is part of a deal struck between Boeing and the UK Government which will see £356m invested in aerospace and research and development projects with 2,000 jobs created nationwide.
IRAQ INQUIRY
The Guardian reports that former cabinet secretary Robin Butler has said Tony Blair’s government was dysfunctional and misused intelligence, and claimed the former Prime Minister was caught in a trap over Iraq.
Photographer - Mr Dominic King - Army Press Office Germany