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| End MoD payouts appeal, says aide | End MoD payouts appeal, says aide |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| Appeals against compensation for two wounded soldiers are "profoundly wrong" and should be ended, a parliamentary aide to the defence secretary has said. | Appeals against compensation for two wounded soldiers are "profoundly wrong" and should be ended, a parliamentary aide to the defence secretary has said. |
| Labour MP Eric Joyce said that if the cases succeeded it would be a victory for "bureaucracy over bravery". | Labour MP Eric Joyce said that if the cases succeeded it would be a victory for "bureaucracy over bravery". |
| Ministers have faced intense criticism over their bid to reduce the payouts. | Ministers have faced intense criticism over their bid to reduce the payouts. |
| The MoD has brought forward a review of compensation but Downing Street said the two cases being considered by the Court of Appeal were "ongoing". | The MoD has brought forward a review of compensation but Downing Street said the two cases being considered by the Court of Appeal were "ongoing". |
| 'Moral call' | 'Moral call' |
| Writing in Scotland on Sunday, Mr Joyce, parliamentary private secretary to Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth, said that although technically the MoD had a good chance of success, the appeal should be dropped. | Writing in Scotland on Sunday, Mr Joyce, parliamentary private secretary to Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth, said that although technically the MoD had a good chance of success, the appeal should be dropped. |
| He said that in the context of heavy fighting in Afghanistan, victory for the government would "come against the backdrop of a giant neon sign spelling out the word 'Pyrrhic'". | He said that in the context of heavy fighting in Afghanistan, victory for the government would "come against the backdrop of a giant neon sign spelling out the word 'Pyrrhic'". |
| He added that politicians should "recognise that while the public will give us a lot of rope at times, where we get the moral call profoundly wrong on a matter of how we treat our astonishingly brave service personnel, we'll find ourselves dangling at the end of it". | He added that politicians should "recognise that while the public will give us a lot of rope at times, where we get the moral call profoundly wrong on a matter of how we treat our astonishingly brave service personnel, we'll find ourselves dangling at the end of it". |
| Defence Minister Bill Rammell: "We are appealing the principle" | |
| The Court of Appeal action involves Cpl Anthony Duncan and Royal Marine Matthew McWilliams. | The Court of Appeal action involves Cpl Anthony Duncan and Royal Marine Matthew McWilliams. |
| Cpl Duncan was initially awarded £9,250 after being shot, while Marine McWilliams received £8,250 for fracturing his thigh on a training exercise, before they appealed to a tribunal for further compensation. | Cpl Duncan was initially awarded £9,250 after being shot, while Marine McWilliams received £8,250 for fracturing his thigh on a training exercise, before they appealed to a tribunal for further compensation. |
| Both men argued they had suffered a number of subsequent health problems during their treatment and these should not be regarded as separate from their original injuries. | Both men argued they had suffered a number of subsequent health problems during their treatment and these should not be regarded as separate from their original injuries. |
| General Sir Mike Jackson, who was head of the Army when British troops went into Helmand province in 2006, has called for the compensation review to be independent. | General Sir Mike Jackson, who was head of the Army when British troops went into Helmand province in 2006, has called for the compensation review to be independent. |
| He told the BBC: "The difficulty with the MoD is that on the one hand you have, dare I say it, the civil side of the MoD perhaps with costs as their first concern. | He told the BBC: "The difficulty with the MoD is that on the one hand you have, dare I say it, the civil side of the MoD perhaps with costs as their first concern. |
| "You have the military side of the MoD with the welfare of the soldiers their first concern. These two things are not always in harmony." | "You have the military side of the MoD with the welfare of the soldiers their first concern. These two things are not always in harmony." |
| 'Shambles' | 'Shambles' |
| Defence Minister Bill Rammell said the government was focused on delivering the most adequate compensation to soldiers - doubling the maximum payout last year. | Defence Minister Bill Rammell said the government was focused on delivering the most adequate compensation to soldiers - doubling the maximum payout last year. |
| He added: "The reason we appealed the decision of the tribunal is that it could have fundamentally breached the crucial principle that the most compensation should go to those most seriously injured." | He added: "The reason we appealed the decision of the tribunal is that it could have fundamentally breached the crucial principle that the most compensation should go to those most seriously injured." |
| BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said MoD sources have indicated Mr Joyce will not lose his job. | BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said MoD sources have indicated Mr Joyce will not lose his job. |
| But only last week the Wales Secretary Peter Hain said the government had got itself into a shambles on this issue, and our correspondent said Mr Joyce's intervention adds to the already considerable pressure on the MoD. | But only last week the Wales Secretary Peter Hain said the government had got itself into a shambles on this issue, and our correspondent said Mr Joyce's intervention adds to the already considerable pressure on the MoD. |
| The review of the compensation scheme will involve consultation with legal experts, service charities and troops and their families. | The review of the compensation scheme will involve consultation with legal experts, service charities and troops and their families. |