Shropshire MP Helen Morgan led a debate in the House of Commons after securing Parliamentary time for the unacceptably poor state of service family accommodation.
This follows a long-standing campaign by the MP on better conditions for military families, prompted by several serious problems raised by families based at RAF Shawbury.
Helen's adjournment came during Armed Forces Week and after an annual survey revealed morale among servicemen and women is at its lowest point for years.
One resident who contacted Helen told of how their ‘children have been ill for months due to damp and mould never being resolved. We’ve never as much as had a call back to arrange a visit’ and that one morning they had ‘woken up to no running water in our property, none. We cannot flush the toilet. We cannot wash our hands. We cannot access basic human rights’.
Another forces family from RAF Shawbury told the North Shropshire MP that ‘we were without heating from 5th December 2022 until 6th January 2023, with 2 young children aged 2 years and the other 6 months’.
Helen Morgan, Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire said, “North Shropshire has a proud tradition of housing servicemen and women at bases like Shawbury and Tern Hill. We owe it to those who risk their lives for our country to provide good quality housing and accommodation for them and their families – not leaving them for months and months without basic repair work.
“I am committed to standing up for our armed forces and military families, and I hope that by calling for and leading on this debate in the Commons, we have put the issue at the top of the agenda for Defence Ministers. They must take immediate action to rectify this and show that they back the men and women who serve our country.”
Helen has worked closely with families affected by poor accommodation and maintenance issues in North Shropshire and has repeatedly challenged the Government and their contractors over the poor service they are providing service members and their families.
Answering Helen in the Commons, Defence Minister Andrew Murrison revealed the Government will be publishing a statement today [Tuesday] regarding issues with Service Family Accommodation gas certificates.
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has continued her ongoing campaign for improvements to military housing in the county, once again raising the state of mouldy housing at Clive Barracks with the Defence Minister in front of the Commons.
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan yesterday contributed to a Westminster Hall debate on the state of military accommodation, telling MPs and the Minister for Defence of issues in her constituency.
