Stephen Morgan MP has called for the government to provide greater measures to protect Armed Forces personnel during their deployment in the winter period in response to Covid-19.
This comes as the Shadow Armed Forces Minister urged the Secretary of State for Defence Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP at the despatch box today to give a regular update on how military personnel are being deployed during this winter period.
The Armed Forces are increasingly playing a major role in the UK’s response to coronavirus, including working closely with the NHS, being drafted in to support Local Resilience Forums and performing coronavirus testing. The Ministry of Defence has already this year created a 23,000-strong COVID Support Force, which could be used for further frontline support in settings such as hospitals and prisons.
Stephen Morgan MP commented,
“Our Armed Forces have gone above and beyond to keep us safe during this crisis.
“As we enter the second lockdown, the government must also do everything it can to keep our Armed Forces safe too.”
This follows the government’s announcement earlier this month of the 7,000 Armed Forces personnel who will be brought to readiness ahead of the Winter period.
The Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South, added,
“It is only right that we give the best protections we can to those who will be working to keeps us safe and secure through this winter period.
“To do this, government must make sure there is regular and sufficient testing of our Armed Forces personnel, with regular publishing of results, as well as ensuring there is access to full PPE for frontline staff and urgent provision of adequate medical supplies to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.”
Mr Morgan has consistently argued for greater protections of Armed Forces personnel during the Covid-19 crisis. You can replay Mr Morgan’s question to the Secretary of State for Defence here.
