Nice one everyone.
First, yes it was the rules. Yes, the Welfare Officer blew it.
No, it wasn't the Civil Service. Pay has been contracted out to the British Subsidiary of a US Company, something like EDI I think.
No, she does not get the pay. Yes, she does have to pay it back.
Instead she gets exactly the same money back but as PENSION. Different department and not necessarily as quick. What should have happened, and I am not talking fact logic and reason, is that the pay people should have spoken to the pensions people. Good example of joined up government.
Regarding loss of pay when going MIA, this is a real throw back to WWII when we would have been in deep sh*t if we had continued to issue full pay to the 55,000 members of Bomber Command until the Germans confirmed they were KIA. Also quaint is the requirement that the detaining power takes responsibility for pay and allowances.
In the days of chivalry it might have worked as both sides would have similar numbers of prisoners.
In a modern conflict we are talking hand fulls. If we throw in all the FI KIA and all since we are still less than 500. We could afford to be really generous and pay a higher than standard widows pension for the KIA and KIAccidents in theatre.
Lets talk to the media and get the rules changed as we want them.