Troops' anger over £50m MoD bonuses

Published on Thursday 12 November 2009 23:28

GORDON Brown promised to study Ministry of Defence bonus payments yesterday after it was revealed the department's civil servants had pocketed almost £50 million this year.

There was anger from troops' families after the disclosure that bonuses for bureaucrats had reached 287,809,049 since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

They were described as an insult to soldiers fighting – and losing their lives – on the frontline in Afghanistan amid claims over equipment shortages.

But union leaders and ministers defended the bill, pointing out that many of the recipients were not highly paid.

The Prime Minister said: "If there are any questions over the bonuses, I will examine them."

But he added: "I've got to say that some of the people who have received help have been working out in the field, and people that have been supporting people out there.

"We want to send a message of support to our armed forces."

Official MoD figures showed 47,283,853 had been paid out in bonuses to civil servants between April and August.

The figure was down on the 52,984,656 paid out in 2008-9, but higher than the previous year's 46,103,238 and almost double the bonuses of 24,866,213 paid out in 2003-4.

Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said: "Many in the armed forces will be aghast that bonuses are being paid on the basis of 'outstanding performance'."