Prime Minister to re-examine MoD bonuses (From The Northern Echo)

Prime Minister to re-examine MoD bonuses

8:08am Friday 13th November 2009

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GORDON BROWN promised to re-examine Ministry of Defence (MoD) bonuses last night amid growing anger that civil servants pocketed more than £47m this year – as soldiers fight a bloody campaign in Afghanistan.

Families of servicemen killed in battle expressed their disgust and said bonuses could have bought badly-needed equipment for British troops.

Government figures show a total of £287,809,049 has been paid in bonuses to MoD civil servants since 2003 – including more than £47m this year.

In that time, more than 20 soldiers from the North-East and North Yorkshire have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Corporal Simon Miller, 21, from Washington, Wearside, was killed in an ambush by an Iraqi mob in 2003.

His father, John Miller, said: “I’m absolutely flabbergasted and annoyed. In fact, to say I am annoyed is an understatement.”

Mr Miller said that his son’s life could have been saved if his unit had been carrying an Iridium satellite phone, which he said could have been bought with money paid out in bonuses.

“Do they have any idea what those who have lost sons or seen them injured in conflicts feel about this?” he asked.

Sandra Johnson, from Stockton, whose son, Lee, was killed in an explosion in Afghanistan in 2007, said her son died after unsuccessful attempts to reinforce his Land Rover with armoured plating.

She said: “I think the bonuses are disgusting, especially when our lads in Afghanistan are not properly equipped.”

Janice Murray, whose 18- year-old son, Michael Tench, from Sunderland, was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq, in January 2007, was also critical.

She said: “This money is being paid out and yet these young soldiers are getting peanuts.”

Responding to the mounting anger over the payouts, the Prime Minister said some of the money had gone to civilians who were “out in the field” supporting troops.

He added: “If there are any questions asked over the bonuses, I will examine them.

“I’ve got to say that some of the people who have received help have been working out in the field and have been supporting people out there.”

The bonus figures emerged in a written reply from Defence Minister Kevan Jones to shadow defence secretary Liam Fox.

Mr Jones revealed that from April to October this year, MoD staff received bonuses totalling £47,283,853.

The figure was down on the £52,984,656 paid out in 2008-9, but higher than the previous year’s £46,103,238 and nearly double the bonuses totalling £24,866,213 paid out in 2003-4.

The North Durham MP last night told The Northern Echo that the money was paid to scientists who design protective equipment, as well as members of the MoD police and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

He said: “It is less than three per cent of the wages bill and it’s money that is not available for other sources. It’s wrong to set military personnel against civil servants. Since 1997, we have reduced the number of MoD staff by 48,000 – that money has gone to the frontline.

“What we’ve got to remember is that 50 per cent of civil servants in the MoD actually earn less than £20,000 a year.”

Dr Fox has promised to cut 25 per cent from the cost of running the MoD, largely by reducing its headcount of 85,000 civil servants – one for every two active troops.

“Many in the armed forces will be aghast that bonuses are being paid on the basis of outstanding performance,” he said.

“This will only increase the view that the armed forces and the MoD administration are hugely out of balance.”

The lowest-paid Army privates earn £16,681 a year, with a six-month tax-free operational allowance of £2,380 if they are posted to Afghanistan.

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