Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead) (Con): May I ask the Secretary of State to convey to the commanders of all our troops in Iraq how proud we are of them? They should never be described as toothless, because the last person who described a Grenadier as toothless lost his teeth. I am proud that the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, in which I served, is going to Iraq. Can we make sure that we look after the returning troops as much as possible, so that they do not come back, become disillusioned and leave the armed forces, and so that we do not lose the skills that we so desperately need? John Reid: The hon. Gentleman speaks with some authority, having served his country with the Guards. We are working on housing—single housing accommodation is a disgrace in many areas and we are trying, through a long-term project, to improve that. There is an above-inflation pay increase—slightly bigger for the lower ranks than for others—and we are working to improve the welfare package. I hope that all of that will encourage people to stay in the British armed forces, which offer a fantastic career to young men and women and in which we have vacancies every single year. |
