Bill to protect soldiers from claims ‘denies their rights’

AN OVERSEAS Operation Bill that is supposed to protect British veterans has been criticised for including a section that prevents both serving and former military personnel from suing the Ministry of Defence.

In an urgent question to be put before the House today, John Healey, the shadow defence secretary, will ask the Government to issue a correction on the record after it dismissed accusations that within part 2 of the Bill, which is yet to have a date set for its second reading, there is a provision for a six-year hard deadline on civil litigation claims against the MOD, for injuries or death caused by negligence in connection to overseas operations. Mr Healey said this reduced the rights of British troops to pursue claims against the MOD as their employer and would “deny those who serve our country overseas the same employer liability rights as everyone else enjoys at home”.