MoD bonuses anger families of Iraq and Afghanistan dead and wounded

Ministry of Defence civil servants have been awarded bonuses totalling £47m – a move which has prompted criticism from families of soldiers killed or injured in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

The MoD defended the payments, which were revealed in the House of Commons following questions from Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary.

The ministry said the average payout would be less than £1,000.

Hazel Hunt, whose Army son died in August, said the performance-related bonuses were “obscene”.

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The MoD employs 85,000 civil servants – one for every two active armed forces personnel.

Its figures showed a total of £287m had been paid out in bonuses since 2003 – the year Britain went to war in Iraq.