Opposition Day — Defence — Military Covenant — Military Funding — 1 Mar 2010 at 18:46

The majority of MPs voted against expressing a belief the military has been underfunded and the Government has failed to honor the Military Covenant.

The majority of MPs rejected the following motion in this vote:

• That this House
• expresses its continued support for HM armed forces personnel and their families;
• notes that over 440 service personnel have been killed on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001;
• further notes that the armed forces have operated over the original planning assumptions for years;
• regrets that there has not been a Strategic Defence Review (SDR) since 1998;
• believes that the 1998 SDR was never fully funded and failed to provide proper equipment for the Iraq war;
• recognises that the Government failed to plan for post-conflict reconstruction in Iraq;
• further recognises the cut to the helicopter budget by £1.4 billion in 2004;
• is concerned about the cuts to the frigate and destroyer fleet from the 32 recommended in the 1998 SDR 10 to 23;
• is further concerned by the failure to provide the Royal Air Force with a modern troop transport and air-to-air refuelling fleet;
• believes that the Government has presided over a failed procurement process;
• further believes that the Government has failed properly to fund the armed forces for wartime operations; and
• calls on the Government to acknowledge its failure to honour the Military Covenant.

Debate in Parliament | Source |