MP calls for “Homes for Heroes”

Christopher Pincher, Member of Parliament for Tamworth, spoke up for soldiers and their families in the House of Commons earlier this week when he called on the Defence Secretary, Liam Fox, to make it easier for soldiers, sailors and airmen to buy their own properties.

Mr. Pincher said:
“As my right hon. Friend seeks to build the armed forces covenant, will he pay close attention to the Strachan report and, in particular, those recommendations to offer enhanced accommodation allowances, expand the pilot shared equity scheme and encourage banks to offer forces-friendly mortgages, so that members of our armed services get a firmer foot on the property ladder?”

Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox responded:
“It was, indeed, a valuable set of recommendations, and we are going through them one at a time at the moment. I am instinctively very much in favour of all the elements that my hon. Friend sets out, and in the very near future we shall in fact produce some further projects, which I hope will provide considerable enhancements to some elements of the covenant not previously covered-and at minimal cost to the taxpayer.”

After Ministerial questions Mr Pincher commented:
“I think it is important that our Military Covenant is made between nation and our Forces in tangible terms.  Helping Forces families to get a stable and long term home of their own is another good way of showing our appreciation for them.  So I am glad the government is taking such a positive attitude.”

“I was very pleased to visit the Staffordshire Regiment Museum at Whittington last week to see for myself the long and proud history of soldiering in our part of the world.  And I am very honoured to have been made a member of the Armed Forces Bill Select Committee looking into the Military Covenant so I can do my bit to support the soldiers of today.”