Moray SNP News

MORAY MP SAYS ‘DUTY OF CARE IS’ A KEY PRIORITY FOR SNP IN ARMED FORCES BILL DEBATE

Moray’s MP Angus Robertson has set out how the SNP will seek to amend the Armed Forces Bill currently being debated at Westminster. The SNP is proposing that a key provision of the Bill should be that service personnel must be properly represented within the military and with defence policy decision-makers – and that representation should be on a statutory basis.

The local MP, who represents thousands of military personnel and their families based in the Moray area, says this is the norm in most other countries and recognised representation is a vital step forward.

Commenting Angus Robertson MP said:

“Here in Moray the Ministry of Defence is one of the largest employers and like other employers they have a duty of care to their personnel and I believe that must include statutory representation.

“The duty of care to our service personnel, veterans and their families must be a key priority, and we will seek to amend the Bill to ensure that is the case in the UK. It was in our 2015 Manifesto and it is a commitment we are happy to live up to. In the Westminster election campaign the British Armed Forces Federation welcomed our commitment to giving representative bodies a statutory footing and we are taking action on that promise.

“Over many years Scotland has endured disproportionate defence cuts with our service personnel, their families and communities often bearing the brunt. The case of soldiers being sacked by email, for example, was shameful.

“Scotland has what it doesn’t need, like Trident, and needs what it doesn’t have, like maritime patrol aircraft.

“We want to see strong and sustainable defence capabilities for Scotland that will ensure our security and support our strategic interests.

“Fair treatment and full respect for our service personnel is a vital part of that.”