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03/11/2006
UK armed forces '5,000 under strength'
UK armed forces are currently under-staffed by 5,170 against the Ministry of Defence's estimated requirements, according to official figures.
Overall, the figures showed that the Army was 1.8% below full strength, with 100,010 personnel, while the Navy was 3.6% below full strength with 35,470. However, the biggest shortfall was in the Royal Air Force, which was 4.5% below full strength with 45,210 personnel.
The National Audit Office warned that the current situation in both Iraq and Afghanistan had put additional pressures on serving personnel in term of hours worked, how often they are deployed and time spent away from families.
The report found that 14.5% of soldiers were being sent on missions more frequently than they were supposed to under Army guidelines.
The report also reported that the numbers of those leaving the forces early had increased slightly in the last two years and that last year 9,200 personnel left early.
Of those surveyed by the NAO who had recently left the armed force, nearly half said that they had done so because of the impact of service on family life, while 28% cited the impact of too many deployments.
One third cited a feeling of not being valued as their reason for leaving, while 32% said that the quality of the equipment was the reason.
However, 9% said that they left because they had not been deployed enough.
Shadow Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox said: "This damning report confirms what we have been saying for some time. The gap between our commitments and our resources is growing and putting unacceptable pressures on our service personnel and their families.
"The government cannot continue like this - if the Prime Minister is going to continue making commitments then the Chancellor must be willing to foot the bill."
Liberal Democrats defence spokesperson Nick Harvey said: "This report highlights the serious mismatch between the level and intensity of defence operations and armed forces manpower.
"With major manning shortfalls, the government must demonstrate how it expects our troops to cope with the serious challenges ahead in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The consequences of prolonged overstretch on our armed forces could be disastrous."
(KMcA)
Overall, the figures showed that the Army was 1.8% below full strength, with 100,010 personnel, while the Navy was 3.6% below full strength with 35,470. However, the biggest shortfall was in the Royal Air Force, which was 4.5% below full strength with 45,210 personnel.
The National Audit Office warned that the current situation in both Iraq and Afghanistan had put additional pressures on serving personnel in term of hours worked, how often they are deployed and time spent away from families.
The report found that 14.5% of soldiers were being sent on missions more frequently than they were supposed to under Army guidelines.
The report also reported that the numbers of those leaving the forces early had increased slightly in the last two years and that last year 9,200 personnel left early.
Of those surveyed by the NAO who had recently left the armed force, nearly half said that they had done so because of the impact of service on family life, while 28% cited the impact of too many deployments.
One third cited a feeling of not being valued as their reason for leaving, while 32% said that the quality of the equipment was the reason.
However, 9% said that they left because they had not been deployed enough.
Shadow Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox said: "This damning report confirms what we have been saying for some time. The gap between our commitments and our resources is growing and putting unacceptable pressures on our service personnel and their families.
"The government cannot continue like this - if the Prime Minister is going to continue making commitments then the Chancellor must be willing to foot the bill."
Liberal Democrats defence spokesperson Nick Harvey said: "This report highlights the serious mismatch between the level and intensity of defence operations and armed forces manpower.
"With major manning shortfalls, the government must demonstrate how it expects our troops to cope with the serious challenges ahead in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The consequences of prolonged overstretch on our armed forces could be disastrous."
(KMcA)
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The UK armed forces do not have enough trained personnel to meet the demands placed on them in Iraq and Afghanistan, an MPs report has warned. The Commons Public Accounts Committee report found that the overall shortfall in armed forces personnel in April this year stood at 5,850, or 3.2% of full strength.
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The UK armed forces do not have enough trained personnel to meet the demands placed on them in Iraq and Afghanistan, an MPs report has warned. The Commons Public Accounts Committee report found that the overall shortfall in armed forces personnel in April this year stood at 5,850, or 3.2% of full strength.
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Armed Forces Could Lose Vote
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Armed Forces 'Shrinkage By Stealth' – Labour
Labour has hit out at Thursday's announcement that 17,000 military jobs will go by 2015. The first tranche of job losses will affect 930 RAF and 920 Army personnel, while Gurkhas make up most of those in the army who will be told that they have been selected for compulsory redundancy.
15 December 2008
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Compensation payments for the most serious injuries have been doubled to a new maximum lump sum of £570,000 today. All injured personnel who have received an award under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme will receive an increase of between 10 and 100% to their tax-free lump sum payment.
MoD Introduces Increased Compensation For Injured Personnel
Compensation payments for the most serious injuries have been doubled to a new maximum lump sum of £570,000 today. All injured personnel who have received an award under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme will receive an increase of between 10 and 100% to their tax-free lump sum payment.
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