Services rebel against MoD for wasting taxpayers' cash
By David Charter, Chief Political Correspondent
THE dire state of morale inside Britain’s Armed Forces is laid bare today by an internal report showing the widespread belief that taxpayers’ money is being wasted while troops lack the basic supplies they need.
Just one in seven of the military believes that the £30 billion defence budget is being spent wisely and fewer than one in five believes the forces are well equipped. The Times has uncovered an extensive poll of both service personnel and MoD staff which asks their views on effectiveness and spending.
Only 3.3 per cent of the 1,600 personnel who responded strongly agreed that they are looked after by the MoD and just 1.7 per cent strongly agreed that the ministry makes the best use of taxpayers’ money.
Almost one in four believes that the Services fail to recruit, train and promote the most talented people regardless of their background.
The findings come despite a pledge from Geoff Hoon, the Defence Secretary, to learn the lessons from Iraq, when tanks were sent into battle without chemical or biological protection filters, and from a damning National Audit Office report which said that 200,000 body armour sets issued since Kosovo in 1999 had “disappeared”.
MAIN POINTS
Just 3.3 per cent of the Armed Forces strongly agree that the MoD looks after its personnel
22 per cent believe that the MoD and Armed Forces do not recruit, train and promote regardless of race, gender, religion or sexual orientation
Only 15 per cent believe that the MoD spends taxpayers’ money wisely
Less than one in five believes that the Armed Forces are well equipped
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here Services rebel against MoD for wasting taxpayers' cash