Rookie armed forces recruits are freezing as heating and hot water in their barracks breaks down as often as twice a day. New MoD figures show that at the Navy’s largest training camp at HMS Collingwood in Fareham, Hants heating systems have gone down nearly 400 times since last February.
The Mirror reports that in November engineers recorded 80 failures with another 60 during last month’s cold spell. The engineering training HQ HMS Sultan at nearby Gosport recorded 357 failures while the 2,300 air force trainees at RAF Halton in Wendover, Bucks suffered 244 breakdowns.
Insiders say the buildings are old and creaking and the facilities are not up to the job. Even the MoD concedes recruits are not being looked after as they should be.
Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey said: “The Conservatives are failing in their duty to our forces who are living in shameful conditions while serving our country. This wouldn’t be acceptable in civilian life The standard of accommodation for serving personnel has been getting worse yet nothing is being done.”
Labour MP Kevan Jones added: “Substandard accommodation means those just starting out on their career must often do so without heating or hot water. No wonder recruitment and retention are in crisis.”
A MoD spokesperson said: “Some personnel are not receiving the level of accommodation services that they deserve.”
But the MoD added that £5million has been spent on heating and hot water upgrades at HMS Collingwood. It is now looking at similar work to be carried out at other sites. The spokesperson added: “There are over 180 buildings at HMS Collingwood and across that many buildings the heating and hot water systems have thousands of individual parts.”
There were also 349 breakdowns at Stonehouse Barracks, Plymouth, Devon, the home of 3 Commando Brigade. And there were another 143 problems at RAF Cosford training centre in Shropshire and 102 at the the world’s biggest British Army garrison at Catterick, North Yorks which houses 13,000 troops.
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