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| Forces housing 'must be improved' | Forces housing 'must be improved' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Ministers have acknowledged that more needs to be done to improve housing for the armed forces following criticism of conditions by a senior Army officer. | Ministers have acknowledged that more needs to be done to improve housing for the armed forces following criticism of conditions by a senior Army officer. |
| Adjutant-general Lt Gen Freddie Viggers condemned cramped and decaying living quarters in barracks, saying soldiers and their families deserved better. | Adjutant-general Lt Gen Freddie Viggers condemned cramped and decaying living quarters in barracks, saying soldiers and their families deserved better. |
| Defence Minister Derek Twigg said he accepted accommodation was "not perfect" and improvements were needed. | Defence Minister Derek Twigg said he accepted accommodation was "not perfect" and improvements were needed. |
| Conservative leader David Cameron said the government should be doing more. | Conservative leader David Cameron said the government should be doing more. |
| Gen Viggers became the second senior officer to speak out publicly on the issue after BBC News received photographs showing cracked walls, mildew and broken pipes in barracks. | Gen Viggers became the second senior officer to speak out publicly on the issue after BBC News received photographs showing cracked walls, mildew and broken pipes in barracks. |
| It's a key issue in what we call the military covenant - giving our soldiers and their families what they deserve in return for that they do for us Gen Freddie Viggers Send us your experiences | |
| Last month, outgoing Army head Gen Sir Mike Jackson said some forces accommodation was "frankly shaming". | Last month, outgoing Army head Gen Sir Mike Jackson said some forces accommodation was "frankly shaming". |
| "The issue we have is that there is still too much accommodation which is of a poor standard, which is old, and which is not modern in the way it's fitted for families," Gen Viggers said. | "The issue we have is that there is still too much accommodation which is of a poor standard, which is old, and which is not modern in the way it's fitted for families," Gen Viggers said. |
| "It's a key issue in what we call the military covenant - giving our soldiers and their families what they deserve in return for that they do for us." | "It's a key issue in what we call the military covenant - giving our soldiers and their families what they deserve in return for that they do for us." |
| Sir Freddie says the state of some barracks is of a "poor standard" | |
| Jennifer James, the mother of a young soldier, said: "We treat prisoners better than our soldiers." | Jennifer James, the mother of a young soldier, said: "We treat prisoners better than our soldiers." |
| Her son complains about the smell, puddles and leaking toilets, which left many soldiers feeling "depressed and demoralised", she added. | Her son complains about the smell, puddles and leaking toilets, which left many soldiers feeling "depressed and demoralised", she added. |
| Conservative defence spokesman Liam Fox warned that if standards did not improve soon, the Army could lose personnel. | Conservative defence spokesman Liam Fox warned that if standards did not improve soon, the Army could lose personnel. |
| "There is an unspoken understanding that when we send people out to fight and potentially die in our name, that our part of the bargain is to make sure that they and their families are properly looked after," he said. | "There is an unspoken understanding that when we send people out to fight and potentially die in our name, that our part of the bargain is to make sure that they and their families are properly looked after," he said. |
| "If they are not getting the appropriate accommodation...they believe that contract has been broken, and they are more likely to leave the armed forces." | "If they are not getting the appropriate accommodation...they believe that contract has been broken, and they are more likely to leave the armed forces." |
| Forces' manifesto | Forces' manifesto |
| The Ministry of Defence said £1 billion was being spent over 10 years to improve forces' accommodation. | The Ministry of Defence said £1 billion was being spent over 10 years to improve forces' accommodation. |
| But Mr Twigg accepted that improvements were needed quickly. | But Mr Twigg accepted that improvements were needed quickly. |
| The government had "a sustained programme of investment in accommodation", he said. | The government had "a sustained programme of investment in accommodation", he said. |
| Gary Durban sent this picture of his family's accommodation in Bicester | Gary Durban sent this picture of his family's accommodation in Bicester |
| "We've spent £700m last year in improving service accommodation. | "We've spent £700m last year in improving service accommodation. |
| "We recognise there is a challenge, we recognise that the accommodation is not perfect and that we need to improve it." | "We recognise there is a challenge, we recognise that the accommodation is not perfect and that we need to improve it." |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Cameron said: "They do so much for us and frankly we should do more for them." | Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Cameron said: "They do so much for us and frankly we should do more for them." |
| He said the Tories planned to announce a "manifesto for forces families" addressing issues such as housing and education. | He said the Tories planned to announce a "manifesto for forces families" addressing issues such as housing and education. |
| Mr Cameron also called for urgent action to improve accommodation for service people at RAF Brize Norton, which is in his constituency. | Mr Cameron also called for urgent action to improve accommodation for service people at RAF Brize Norton, which is in his constituency. |
| Douglas Young, of the British Armed Forces Federation, which represents forces staff, said there were big variations in standards of accommodation. | Douglas Young, of the British Armed Forces Federation, which represents forces staff, said there were big variations in standards of accommodation. |
| Some very good work was being done to upgrade accommodation but all accommodation should be brought up to that standard, he said. | Some very good work was being done to upgrade accommodation but all accommodation should be brought up to that standard, he said. |