BREAKING NEWS £1.5 billion fund for repairs and new homes for troops as part of defence review
ARMED forces bosses are to spend an additional £1.5 billion on sprucing up military houses amid claims years of neglect contributed to troops quitting.
The new funding, as part of the Strategic Defence Review, will support urgently needed repairs and the long-term renewal of service quarters across the country.
Last year, the Ministry of Defence brought back 36,347 military homes into public ownership after private contractors failed to meet basic standards.
Soldiers and their families had been forced to live in appalling conditions with ceilings collapsing, mould-infested bathrooms and kitchens and rodents.
The appalling quality of accommodation featured prominently in surveys as a major reason why so many troops were choosing to terminate their military careers.
Last night, Defence Secretary John Healey, said: 'Our armed forces personnel make extraordinary sacrifices to serve our country.
'For too long, many military families have lived in sub-standard homes. But this government is taking decisive action to fix the dire state of military accommodation and ensure our heroes and their loved ones live in the homes they deserve.
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