THE mother of a Bournemouth soldier who died on active service in Afghanistan has welcomed the Prime Minster’s announcement to enshrine the military covenant in law.
Diana Russell, whose son, Capt Mark Hale, died in Helmand Province in 2009 while serving with 2 Rifles, said legal recognition of the government’s duty of care to its servicemen and women was long overdue.
“I’m overjoyed. I think it was something that needed to be done. It needed to be enforced. Bereaved families, and families of injured soldiers, are left in such an uncertain position and they need to know where they stand.
“My opinion is that it’s necessary to have statutes put in place. Not only do families lose loved ones, they lose quality of life.
“When the armed forces go out to do their duty on our behalf, they should be properly looked after,” she said.
Mrs Russell’s daughter-in-law, Brenda Hale, her late son’s widow, was elected last week to the Northern Ireland Assembly on a platform of extending the covenant to the families of soldiers.
Her election won praise from Prime Minister, David Cameron, who yesterday told Sky News: “The Armed Forces do fantastic work for our country.
"I think it is only right we do whatever we can for them and their families.”
North Dorset MP, Bob Walter, who has 4,000 constituents serving at Blandford Camp, said the covenant’s new legal footing would force bureaucrats to recognise the commitment of military personnel.
“The extra benefit is that it will strengthen the covenant within government departments, whether that’s the Department of Work and Pensions or the Department of Education, and that’s important.”
New Rights
DEFENCE Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, is set to publish details of the Tri-Service Covenant to MPs today establishing the legal right of forces’ families to health, housing, and education.
Council tax relief for personnel on operations is expected to rise from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, and seriously injured veterans should automatically gain concessionary bus travel.
Soldiers whose injuries have caused difficulties starting families are expected to be given free access to three cycles of IVF treatment, and a new fund is likely to be set up for schools with a large number of pupils from military families.
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