Front line troops could face pay cut on return home - Telegraph
An internal Ministry of Defence document obtained by this newspaper reveals that all specialist pay across the Armed Forces is to undergo a thorough review.
As a result it is possible that fighter pilots earning a maximum extra of £60 a day or £21,900 a year could face having their wages reduced once they finish operational flying.
Similarly submariners patrolling off the Libyan coast may face a cut to their maximum £15,000 a year extra that recognises the unique skills and dangers they face.
MoD sources said that while it is possible cuts to these supplements could be made it is more likely that servicemen who are being paid to perform tasks that they no longer execute will be the first to see payments axed.
A measure has already been put forward to cut the £2,000 a year ‘Para Pay’ for members of The Parachute Regiment and airborne forces in a move that has caused uproar after it was disclosed in the Telegraph yesterday.
Gen Lord Dannatt, former head of the Army, warned that the Government would “tinker with morale at our peril” in pay cuts.
Gen Sir Mike Jackson, who also lead the Army, added: “I would personally urge caution to the bean counters seeking their money not to erode the extraordinary fighting spirit of airborne forces.”
An internal MoD paper reveals that the specialist pay cuts are likely to be much more widespread across all three Services.
Under a Defence Internal Brief paper MoD chiefs state that “each category of Specialist Pay will be reviewed and revalidated in 2011”.
The paper, titled Changes to Service Personnel Allowances, is part of a drive outlined in the defence review to recoup £250 million out of the £880 million paid in annual allowances.
“It is accepted that these changes will be unpopular and that some of them may require adjustments to lifestyle, but they are a necessary part of the Department’s contribution to the overall Government’s programme to reduce the UK deficit,” the paper said.
MoD sources said that “nothing is being ruled in and nothing is being ruled out” in terms of cuts to be made.
Under current regulations once a person leaves a post, such as a pilot taking up a desk job, he will retain his specialist pay at 100 per cent for three years gradually dropping to 25 per cent then ceasing after six years. The time span in which the specialist pay is continued could be drastically shortened, defence sources have said.
The independent Armed Forces Pay Review Body is carrying out the re-evaluation and will report to ministers later this year.
But speculation and anger is growing over pay cuts in the Armed Forces that have already suffered a two-year wage freeze.
“Specialist pay goes to the heart of motivation and morale,” said a senior officer. “If you want a damn near mutiny in the Armed Forces then targeting specialist pay is going to light the blue touch paper.
“It is petty, vindictive and puerile and the Government should look elsewhere for its cuts.”
Jim Murphy, the shadow defence secretary, said: “Increasingly it is those prepared to fight for our country who are suffering from this Government’s decision to cut the deficit too far and too fast.”
A MOD spokesman said: “While the independent Armed Forces Pay Review Body is undertaking a review of allowances, idle speculation of this sort can be very damaging to the morale of Armed Forces”.
Is this the allowances package review rehashed in a new story? Or is there an ACTUAL review going on into specialist pay going at the moment?
They must know that leaks like this are pretty dire for morale; furthermore, if they axe FP the minute you walk out of a flying job, who is going to put themselves for promotion bearing in mind that promotion now will most probably yield a pretty hefty pay CUT for more responsibility and less fun?
At best, the telegraph is worrying individuals unnecessarily, at worst, we are about to see a pretty major head for the exits....