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Dear Editor,
Leconfield’s Denis Healy (Mail letters, 10 April) seems to be agitated by my support for improved protective equipment for our servicemen and women currently engaged in UN-sanctioned operations in
Iraq and Afghanistan.
Even before the launch of the ‘Troops in Peril’ petition by the Mail, I had written to the Secretary of State for Defence raising this issue on behalf of Hull North constituents, which obviously
does not include Mr Healy in Leconfield. I called for the earliest possible deployment of the Mastiff armoured vehicles that have been ordered for our forces. These come as part of the large-scale
Government investment in new equipment, body armour and armoured vehicles.
At least 50 Mastiff and 50 Bulldog vehicles have already been deployed in operations, enabling the reduced use of Snatch Land Rover vehicles. However, given that the point of the exercise is to
strengthen - not weaken - protection for our personnel, the new armoured vehicles need to deployed first to enable the process of reducing the use of Land Rovers to be completed.
It would be unfair not to point out that ministers have approved every request by the Defence Chiefs for improved protective equipment for our armed forces. To this end, a further £500 million has
been allocated for additional force protection in Iraq and Afghanistan. I know that ministers share the desire for all new equipment to be operational on the ground as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
Diana Johnson MP
Kingston upon Hull North
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10 April 2007: To Hull Daily Mail - published 16 April 2007
