The United Kingdom National Defence Association (UKNDA) has welcomed the announcement by the Ministry of Defence that injury compensation payments for service personnel will be increased to bring them into line with those offered to civilians injured at work.

Commenting on today’s announcements by Secretary of State for Defence Des Browne, the Chief Executive of the UKNDA, Commander John Muxworthy, said: “We are pleased that the Government is starting to take its responsibilities under the Military Covenant more seriously. For too long our service men and service women have been treated as second-class citizens where compensation is concerned. Payments for injuries at work have been far lower in the Armed Forces than in civilian life.  Today’s announcement goes some way to correcting this appalling injustice.

“We also welcome the broad thrust of the Secretary of State’s other announcements today, especially the new payment scheme for post-service education for personnel who have completed six years in the Forces. However, issues such as compensation or post-service education are merely the tip of the iceberg. The root cause of almost all the problems facing our Armed Forces is the legacy of chronic under-funding. Our Forces are seriously under-manned, over-stretched and often poorly equipped for the tasks that they are given. This is an absolutely fundamental problem and it needs to be tackled root and branch – for the sake of our service personnel themselves and to ensure that the Nation and its interests around the world can be effectively defended.”

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For further information or interview opportunities please contact:

Cdr. John Muxworthy, CEO, UKNDA, tel 01264 860693, email ceo@uknda.org

Andy Smith, PRO, UKNDA, tel: 07737 271676, email pro@uknda.org

Editor’s Notes:

The United Kingdom National Defence Association (UKNDA) was formed in 2007 to campaign for sufficient, appropriate and fully-funded Armed Forces that the Nation needs to defend effectively this Country, its people, their security and vital interests at home and wherever they may be.  Its President is Winston S Churchill, the former Conservative MP, war correspondent, and grandson of Britain’s wartime Prime Minister. UKNDA’s Patrons include three former Chiefs of the Defence Staff – Lords Guthrie, Craig and Boyce – as well as former Labour Foreign Secretary Lord Owen and former Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Menzies Campbell.  UKNDA calls for a total 40% increase in the defence budget, to bring spending on the Armed Forces up to 3% of GDP.