North East Herts MP Oliver Heald is sending his best Christmas wishes to all the troops based in Bassingbourn barracks and has promised to “do his bit” for them by calling for better treatment of Service personnel and their families, as well as Armed Forces wounded, bereaved, and veterans.
Oliver has signed the Royal British Legion's manifesto calling for changes to benefit Service personnel and their families. The manifesto includes improvements and an ongoing review of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, and the need to abide by harmony guidelines on deployment rates to reduce family separation and breakdown. It calls for independent legal advice to be provided to bereaved families during inquest and the introduction of an independent advisory committee to assist bereaved family members.
Commenting Oliver said, “In Royston we have a lot of close ties with the barracks at Bassingbourn, and to show the soldiers that we really appreciate all that they do, and have done, to make our country safe this Christmas I am backing this manifesto.”
“The recent concerns raised by the Royal British Legion that the Military Covenant has been broken are alarming. The Armed Forces do a fantastic job serving our country, often under difficult circumstances so I think it’s important that we do our bit in supporting them in return.”
The manifesto also says it's time for Government to deliver on its promises of priority NHS treatment for veterans with conditions caused by service in the Armed Forces, and that Government must commit itself to tackling poverty among older veterans and widows.
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Contact: Martin Jee, Parliamentary Assistant to Oliver Heald MP, 020 7219 4478
Notes to editors:
The Royal British Legion manifesto can be found here: http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/media/206870/manifesto.pdf
It calls for:
For Service Personnel and their families
- Improve and keep the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme under continual review
- Stop breaches of harmony guidelines (deployment rates) in order to reduce family separation and breakdown
For bereaved Armed Forces families
- Provide bereaved Armed Forces families with independent legal advice during inquests
- Introduce an Independent Advisory Committee on Military Deaths
For veterans and their families
- Make NHS priority treatment work for veterans with injuries caused by Service in the Armed Forces
- Tackle poverty among older veterans and widows