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| New payouts for injured soldiers | New payouts for injured soldiers |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Troops injured in Iraq and Afghanistan by criminals could be in line for compensation payouts of up to £500,000, the Ministry of Defence has said. | |
| The government has updated its compensation scheme to enable soldiers injured by those who are not considered enemy combatants to make claims. | The government has updated its compensation scheme to enable soldiers injured by those who are not considered enemy combatants to make claims. |
| The revision was made to take account of the "shift in the situation" British soldiers now find themselves in. | The revision was made to take account of the "shift in the situation" British soldiers now find themselves in. |
| Soldiers will be able to claim between £1,000 and £500,000. | Soldiers will be able to claim between £1,000 and £500,000. |
| About 40 cases are already pending, but it is thought many more claims could made once the government's position is more widely known. | About 40 cases are already pending, but it is thought many more claims could made once the government's position is more widely known. |
| Soldiers injured while dealing with riots or those struck by stones thrown by youths could be among those eligible for compensation. | Soldiers injured while dealing with riots or those struck by stones thrown by youths could be among those eligible for compensation. |
| Updated thinking | Updated thinking |
| A Ministry of Defence spokesman said a compensation scheme for troops injured in "civilian" situations - such as an off-duty fight - had been in place for 27 years. | A Ministry of Defence spokesman said a compensation scheme for troops injured in "civilian" situations - such as an off-duty fight - had been in place for 27 years. |
| But he said the government had decided to extend the scheme to soldiers injured while in combat by criminals and not by a recognised enemy. | But he said the government had decided to extend the scheme to soldiers injured while in combat by criminals and not by a recognised enemy. |
| "We recognise that not everyone who might attack service personnel in Iraq is an insurgent," he said. | "We recognise that not everyone who might attack service personnel in Iraq is an insurgent," he said. |
| He added: "In the past we wouldn't have considered it. What we are trying to do is update our thinking on it. | He added: "In the past we wouldn't have considered it. What we are trying to do is update our thinking on it. |
| "If you are engaged in deliberate operations against an enemy and if a roadside bomb injures you it's hard to see how anyone could claim. | "If you are engaged in deliberate operations against an enemy and if a roadside bomb injures you it's hard to see how anyone could claim. |
| "But we now recognise that the situation in Basra has shifted. Not everyone attacking us is an enemy, they might be angry locals." | "But we now recognise that the situation in Basra has shifted. Not everyone attacking us is an enemy, they might be angry locals." |
| Troops wounded during the invasion and battle for Iraq would not qualify for the scheme - receiving different compensation and pensions for war injuries. | Troops wounded during the invasion and battle for Iraq would not qualify for the scheme - receiving different compensation and pensions for war injuries. |
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