Through his role in the Public Accounts Committee and regular visits to military bases and discussions with armed forces personnel, Stephen Morgan gets an insight into both Government action on military accommodation and the perception held by our troops on the ground.
The Portsmouth MP has visited military accommodation from Portsmouth to Gibraltar and has seen first-hand the concerning implications of large-scale, poorly regulated privatisation.
Mr Morgan said:
“The recent collapse of Carillion, which played a key role in maintaining the MoD’s housing estate with Amey, demonstrates the significant risks associated with poorly managed privatisation. This is having a very worrying effect on moral within our armed forces, especially recruitment and retention of vital armed forces staff.
I recently led on Public Accounts Committee hearing where I probed the MoD over these major failings, it emerged that some of those who had left the armed forces due to poor housing included a fighter pilot.
This demonstrates the severity of the problem. Not only are the Government letting down our brave armed forces personnel, they are letting down the taxpayer who is footing the bill and jeopardising our national security by haemorrhaging valued staff.”
The poor state of disrepair present in the nation’s armed forces accommodation is not just unsightly or inconvenient, it is affecting well-being.
There have been instances, such as at Baker Barracks on Thorney Island, where soldiers have been taken ill due to severe damp and neglect when it comes to building maintenance.
In response to this news, Mr Morgan said:
“The news that soldiers have been moved out of Baker Barracks on Thorney island due to damp related illness is a testament to the fact the Government is letting down our armed forces.
It seems highly unjust that the same Government asking brave service people to step into harm’s way for the good of the nation cannot even house them in safe and suitable accommodation. What message does this send out to the force’s community?
It is not just the individual soldiers at Baker Barracks who are affected, this Government has allowed soldiers to become non-operational through sheer negligence and indifference, this type of incident puts the whole nation at risk. This is a serious failing that must be addressed.
The well-being of our armed forces is of the utmost importance. I am committed to continuing to take action both through my involvement in the Public Accounts Committee and as an MP until we see military homes worthy of the brave people who day in day out, put on their uniform to keep the rest of us safe.”
