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Soldiers to get 'tax bill bonus' Soldiers to get 'tax bill bonus'
(20 minutes later)
UK forces serving in Afghanistan and Iraq are to receive cash bonuses to pay off their tax bill, Defence Secretary Des Browne is set to announce.UK forces serving in Afghanistan and Iraq are to receive cash bonuses to pay off their tax bill, Defence Secretary Des Browne is set to announce.
BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson says it follows a campaign to stop soldiers paying tax on their earnings - something that American GIs do not do.BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson says it follows a campaign to stop soldiers paying tax on their earnings - something that American GIs do not do.
Whitehall sources say this follows an agreement between Mr Browne and Chancellor Gordon Brown. Tony Blair said: "It's something that's obviously important because of the work that the troops are doing."
Mr Browne is set to make the announcement in the Commons on Tuesday. Mr Browne is set to make the announcement later in the Commons.
'Long overdue'
The prime minister told the BBC the payment was in recognition of the fact that British troops were going through a completely different experience to soldiers on the battlefield years ago.
I think everybody will be extremely pleased General Patrick Cordingley
General Patrick Cordingley, who commanded the desert rats in the first Gulf War against Iraq, says the decision is long overdue.
"I think everybody will be extremely pleased," he said.
"In the past I've always thought that this tax business when you're abroad on active service doesn't seem to make any sense.
"And in some instances they actually lose various allowances when they go to another theatre.
"For instance if they get overseas allowance for being in Germany they lose half of that because they're no longer in Germany.
"So in fact soldiers, particularly in the first Gulf War, lost money for going to fight for their country."