Secret Plan to Remove Quarters
This is my very first visit to PPRuNe and I've registered especially so I can highlight something that is going on at present that is rather sinister.
A lot of work is being conducted by MOD policy staff at the moment in order to justify an ambition to get rid of Service Accommodation. Papers are being written and economic models produced; naturally, none of these dare to include operational or social impact implications as these would run counter to the party line.
The lease on Annington Homes is due to expire in 5 years time. The MOD still require the quarters, therefore Annington are in a position to charge whatever they wish. The MOD therefore cannot afford the sustain the decision to sell the estate that they made back in the 90's for short term gain. In conjunction with this, recent Continual Attitude Surveys have shown most people wish to own their own home. Of course, most people do, but on service salaries, most of our personnel (especially ORs) cannot afford to, especially when posted to the SE.
However, this response to a rather unbalanced question has given the ivory-tower merchants the excuse they need. The plan is to grant a small amount of money to service personnel to buy a house (£5-10k ish). As a result they have to sign away their right to ever live in SFA again. It doesn't matter where they get posted, what happens in terms of welfare or any other issue. My main worry is that our younger, more vulnerable troops could fall for this. I am well aware that most Officers and SNCOs already choose to buy and can manage perfectly well, but the loss of all the service accomodation will hit our troops harder than anything else they could take away. If this does come in, I only ask that you make your people think long and hard before they sign away their rights.