'IoS' campaign panel challenges Browne

The Independent on Sunday last week highlighted the appalling accommodation forces personnel and their families have to put up with. Our story was followed this week by two announcements from the Secretary of State for Defence, Des Browne. He announced a council tax rebate of up to £140 for serving soldiers, and added: "We will be putting an additional £80m into modernising single living accommodation".

We asked members of our panel and a senior Conservative MP for their reactions.

Danni Hamilton, mother of a serving soldier, said: "The quarters soldiers live in are deplorable. £80m is not enough. Think about how much has been put into the Iraq war. I think it's just a sweetener to make us think they are doing something."

Colonel Bob Stewart, former UN commander in Bosnia, said: "Accommodation... should be put right. They shouldn't be saying 'Look how well we're doing', it shouldn't be in a poor condition in the first place."

According to Frances Done, director-general of the Royal British Legion: "It's a step, but a small step. This appears to be a reallocation of MoD funds rather than new money from the Chancellor. These new measures are welcome, but much more needs to be done."

James Arbuthnot, Conservative chairman of the Defence Select Committee, said: "£80m is not enough. Unless there is... really serious money put it in, it's going to take decades to bring the accommodation up to an acceptable standard."