Military Covenant debate, Liberal Democrat Party Conference, Bournemouth

Written by Simon Hughes MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey on Mon 21st Sep 2009

Conference, I am proud our armed forces and proud of the Liberal Democrat commitment to our armed forces.

I am proud that Nick Harvey and colleagues have brought this motion to conference.

I am proud of the regular demonstration of Liberal Democrat support to service people and their families:

• By Nick Clegg's support for the Gurkhas;

• By Ming Campbell's support for the RAF;

• By the support of Bob Russell for the troops and paratroopers based in Colchester, and of Mike Hancock and other local MPs for the Navy and Royal Marines based in Portsmouth

In our own part of inner London we are very proud of the City of London Marine Reserves, territorial and our volunteer reserve centres, army and sea cadets, the headquarters of the Royal British Legion and of the hugely respected company which has the difficult and sad responsibility of bringing home for burial all those who have given their lives in active service for our country.

Our amendment is born out of our local experience in Southwark. A few years ago, one of the sons in a lovely and well respected family was killed on active service in Iraq. Lee O'Callaghan was buried in Southwark with full military honours.

Just a few weeks ago the funeral of another young man - Andrew Watson - took place. Andrew came home from Iraq a few years ago but was continually haunted by his experiences of the injuries and deaths of war. Not able easily to find a home of his own and in spite of his best efforts to remain in paid employment, Andrew jumped to his death.

Of course government want to support returning servicemen and women in finding housing. But we still lack clear duties and responsibilities that apply equally throughout the UK. The result of the variability of policy means that sometimes needy ex-service personnel are left unsupported. In new paragraph four, Liberal Democrats will make clear that troops who leave our armed services with no housing of their own should have guaranteed support from their local authority in all areas.

I want to make sure that our country guarantees that after their military service there will be homes for all our troops on civvy street.

And the same government commitment to apprenticeships, training or employment for those out of work must be extended to those coming out of active military service.

New paragraph five deals with a linked and sensitive issue. Though mercifully it will apply to few families, it is no less important. We propose that following a death on active service or a death like Andrew Watson's - clearly attributable to his military service - the family should be able to choose where to hold the funeral and bury their loved one without having to worry about the cost of burial or cremation or the need to establish a local connection.

Whether currently the bill is picked up by the Ministry of Defence or the family, I believe we should be clear that in future the costs of burial or cremation should without further question be the responsibility of the state - which will reimburse the relevant local council, church, temple, mosque or synagogue the same figure across the UK.

The last thing families need at times of the greatest bereavement trauma is to worry about finding paperwork or negotiating over cost of a burial.

Our armed services deserve the greatest dignity and respect.

Conference, we must ensure this dignity and respect extends after their service ends.

More than anything, we must give dignity and respect when lives end because of the military service some of our fellow citizens have freely given to our country.