Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said:

 “These figures are another kick in the teeth to armed forces families living in shoddy and substandard housing. 

“Something has clearly gone very wrong when a family has to live with a broken boiler because rent on the condemned house up the road is soaking up their maintenance budget. Read more »

Ahead of the protest by retired members of the Gurkhas in Parliament Square tomorrow, the Liberal Democrats are today tabling a Bill to give all former Gurkhas the right to live in the UK after they leave the army.

Commenting before tabling his Immigration (Discharged Gurkhas) Bill, Liberal Democrat Defence spokesperson and former Defence minister Lord (John) Lee of Trafford, said:-

“Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords are tabling a Bill which would allow all Gurkhas indefinite leave to remain on the same basis as Commonwealth soldiers.” Read more »

Commenting on reports that Des Browne is seeking to prevent coroners from criticising the Ministry of Defence, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey said:

“This is a misjudged and ill-conceived attempt to curtail the freedom of coroners to highlight the failings of the MoD.
  Read more »

The MoD spends almost quarter of a million pounds per month renting private housing for 100 members of MoD top brass and their families, figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats show.

Parliamentary answers reveal:

• The 50 most expensive privately rented family homes cost the taxpayer almost £124,000 in total every month, whilst the 50 most expensive single accommodation homes cost an additional £110,000 per month.
• The MoD currently spends £30m per year on 7,000 empty family homes around the UK.
• Private family accommodation for senior officers costs up to £4,200 per family per month.
• Private individual accommodation for senior officers costs up to £3,000 per month.

Read more »

Commenting on the news that more than 11,000 military ID cards have been lost or stolen in the last two years, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey MP said:

“These figures are just extraordinary and make a mockery of the security throughout our military facilities. Read more »

Lib Dem Shadow Defence Secretary Nick Harvey is supporting a campaign against the deportation of non-British ‘army spouses’ like Samantha Crozier, who is married to a British Lance Corporal and has two young children. 

 He told the BBC:

“Like all Armed Forces families, the Croziers have made huge sacrifices in the service of this country. For  the government to claim that they have no right to be here is cruel and ungrateful in the extreme. We have a duty to ensure the welfare of this family. Read more »